Beginning at 5pm tonight (Friday) — I am on “vacation” and off work until December 30. I could not be more thrilled. Now, don’t get me wrong — I love my job to pieces, but with all the big projects (new website, etc.) and Christmas — it has all been a bit stressful. Plus, this time of year always has a way of putting me into a bit of a funk — so I am ready for a break!

I think the best part about it is that I am not going anywhere. And aside from a few lunches & dinners here to there — I have nothing planned. While I love love love visiting friends, I am pleased to not have to deal with airports, hotels, getting up early, keeping to a schedule or any of that stuff.

I just get to be home.

Veg out on my couch, watch movies, sleep, hang out with local friends, cook some foods I’ve been wanting to try, have friends come see me, doing some of my own designing, get back into a rhythm in my workouts & weight watchers and whatever else I want to do.

Sorry if it seems like I am bragging. It is just that I am about to jump out of my seat in anticipation for some real R&R. I haven’t taken time off for the sake of taking off work in almost 5 years. Even though I’ve taken vacation, attended conferences and gone on mission trips — there’s just something exciting about having time off that is completely mine and I can be selfish with.

While I hope to not neglect my blog — I do plan to unplug as much as possible. I have actually been taking some proactive steps to help me unplug more in the coming year. I kind of have a resolution that I will not touch work-related stuff when I am not at the office. Finding the balance between work/ministry/home has been a struggle for me since day one. Since I’m paid salary in a deadline-driven, overtime-exempt job — I’ve gotten pretty used to just working until a project is done. And while I will still have to do that — I am going to try to protect my personal time a lot more than ever. The older I get (and that’s not ever old) the most I realize the need for this.

I ask that you please keep me accountable to doing this.

When is the last time you took time off just for yourself?