Vacation Day

The other day I said to one of my co-workers, "When you live in a little cabin in the woods, everyday is a vacation day." Of course, that is when you don't have to get up and go to work. This is one of those days for me!

I looked up the word "Sanctuary" in the dictionary. One of its meanings is 'a place of safety'. This morning I was sitting in my new little, recently cleared, sanctuary, having coffee. This particular place is up next to our narrow country road. We get very little traffic. One could sit there for hours (which I never have actually done) and would not see a single car pass. As I sat with my feet up in the vacant chair, a car did come along the road. The driver of this particular vehicle has her pick of sanctuaries at her home, as she lives in a place that is well established with gardens and lovely flowers blooming in pretty sitting-areas. I have this one, for now; though there is potential for two more spots in the future. So, though I have no flowering bushes or flowing fountains, as I sat there looking at the morning sun peeking through our tall trees, listening to the birds and feeling the cool morning air, I thanked the Lord that, though my sanctuary is not yet flowery or very private, it is a safe and quiet area where I can talk to Him and enjoy the beauty of the place that He has surrounded me with.

This experience also made me realize that I am always in a sanctuary. It does not matter whether I am in the middle of a storm-driven sea, driving down a busy street, or climbing a sheer rock cliff (not me!); as one who has trusted the Lord Jesus Christ for my salvation, I am always in a place of safety. Even if I am taken in death, I am safe because when my spirit is absent from the body, it will immediately be present with the Lord!

There is one more way of looking at being in a place of safety. While in prayer with one of the ladies in our church on Wednesday night, I prayed that the Lord would make me ready and willing to take on any job that He might open up for me in the future. We all know what our "comfort-zone" is. As I was talking to the Lord He reminded me that the job may take me out of this zone. This came to mind again this morning. Certain tasks are those that we may not be particularly comfortable with; we may not feel "safe", or may feel a bit out of control. There is a reckless abandonment about a christian who is willing to let go and let God use him or her in absolutely ANY way. Our goal is not self-realization (as the world would like us to think) but Christ-realization!

These are just thoughts that I have had on this, my vacation day. I hope that you can enjoy a place of safety this morning, and that you'll have a quiet time to think.

I wanted to keep you up on how the oxalis is doing. See? new growth and even a blossom!

Now, it is off to the dishes, sweeping, making the bed...and all those things that make for a well-rounded vacation!