Surf and Turf my Plans


Summer is finally here. The trampoline is set up, the garden is starting to grow and I finally bought a nice, 2-3 foot deep, FILTER pool for the kids to cool off in. Yay! No more dumping, cleaning and refilling an old, half deflated wading pool with Bart Simpson's picture on the sides, every two days. I have BIG plans for the summer. Lots of yard work, intense house cleaning, flower growing (and painting), reading, visiting etc. etc. By the time I finish writing this post, it'll be half over. That's usually how it works. Big dreams. Big ideas. Big let down. Big disappointment. I am learning the art of controlling my life planning. That important balance between "get er' done" and "riding the wave". The executive assistant meets the hippie. I'm picturing myself wearing bellbottoms, tie dyed T-shirt & hair bandana while clutching my clipboard and stopwatch.

The word RELAX is such a subjective word. How do you relax? What destresses you? For some people, no schedule, no goals and lots of spontaneity is relaxing. For some others, that would be a great precursor for a stomach ulcer and therapy. I think I need to accomplish things in order to really feel relaxed. Sounds odd, but true. If a 24 hour period goes by and I can't pin point something that got cleaned, created or advanced in some way, I feel like a total failure. No relaxing of my spirit happens here. Wasted time and staticisty (I'm sure that's not even a word...but it expresses what I mean) stresses me.

We are going camping this summer. I love camping. I love campfires, tents, trees, outdoor quiet, hobo dinners, being unplugged and away from the usual. Nothing much gets "accomplished" but I do feel relaxed. I guess because I'm not home, I CAN'T get stuff done...so I relinquish my duty to DO. I'm forced to surrender to the demands of my simple and foreign surroundings. I 'm a guest at Mother Nature's house. She doesn't require floor sweeping, toilet cleaning, clothes sorting nor bread making. Her agenda is very simple and personal. Just live without all of the modern interuptions and listen to the sound of the elements. I still get to do stuff I love, like read and cook...just in peace...with no rushing. That's relaxing!

I cannot relax if my people are unhappy. I need my people to be happy. If my man and kids are bored and not liking what I like, then my fun is ruined too. SO...camping requires outings. Outings that allow my people to play. They need to play. They need a regular inoculation of sports in order to avoid slipping into a comma and possibly death. I don't understand it, I don't fight it, I just feed the beasts and accept their deficiency...I mean personality difference.

I have planned a camping trip that HOPEFULLY will satisfy everyone's desire to relax. Ten minutes away from my retreat with Mother Nature is a beach. A beach where my people will be given SURFING lessons! Lawerencetown, Nova Scotia is one of the hotspots for surfing. Who new? I didn't. So, they are very excited to plunge into a new wave of sportdom (new word) and I am excited to have them sufficiently entertained while I just breath. Breath in fresh ocean air, stick my feet into warm sand and dive into a getaway book for my adventure starved brain. Of course I'll video tape the wave frollicing for posterity sake. I do belive it will be highly entertaining.

I must remember however, that life is what happens when you are busy making plans. It the weather doesn't cooperate, or someone gets sick, or the van breaks down, or if one of us gets eaten by a bear, I must take it all in stride and ride the waves. Well maybe not if the bear thing happens, but for any other interruption, I will remember that God is still in control of everything He has plans for my life...He is still good and I will remember that even our vaction belongs to Him. I will ride those waves...and even the wind and the waves obey Him :)

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