Christmastime was hard at times but also amazing at times. It was also very busy. My uncle passed away suddenly in the middle of December so the McCann family traveled to Canada immediately. This was the closest death I’ve ever experienced and it was tough, but extended family being together at a moments notice was definitely something special. Then we returned to my hometown, Marshfield, WI for Christmas. The day after Sophie and I went north to northern Wisconsin for more celebrations and to be with her family for the New Year. Soon after we flew to San Antonio to be with the missionaries we will be working with in Peru. Getting to know them better is an absolute blast! (While there we booked flights: February 19thwe will be using our one-way ticket!) A day after landing back in Minneapolis from Texas we hopped on another plane to Florida…
…and we got to rest!
Not that time with family, friends, and our missionary friends was draining in any negative type of way, but there definitely is something special about taking a break and fully being able to relax. Jesus intentionally shows us that rest is important. He often escaped from crowds of people so He could spend time with His disciples and with His Father. He says in Mark 6:31, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” Moments like this I am reminded that He was also fully human, and also showed us the perfect way to live in a human body.
I’m not saying this justifies twelve trips to Florida each year, but time alone at a beautiful beach was an awesome place to grow Sophie and my relationship and more importantly, our relationship with God. We got to pray together, read and share together, and have conversations together that we haven’t had in awhile. Even simply not having a list to do can bring a person’s mind back in the right perspective. The big picture, eternity, is so much more important than any daily task.
Pray that I will do all things for God’s glory in this next busy month before departure. It will surely fly by!
-Matt
And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” -Exodus 33:14