I am off Monday for vacation. J and I are going across Canada on the railroad. I am looking forward to this time. I am tired and need some time to regroup. We are going to see some beautiful country without having to drive—what luxury! We are also going to visit with some of J’s family and a seminary classmate.

I am looking forward to this trip. I was raised on the railroad. My father worked for the Santa Fe for almost 45 years. We traveled by rail the whole first part of my life. I was out of college before I ever flew. So taking a train trip is a real touch with my past. There is something very calming about the sound of wheels on a track. I know I will sleep well in the berths we have reserved.

The idea of being able to read and travel is delightful. J and I have stocked up on all the fun reading that we want to do: Some exciting whodunits, a couple of biographies and perhaps a bit of spiritual reading. The idea of being able to sit in a comfortable seat and watch the scenery come to me appeals to me. Usually we have to choose between an active vacation where we have to drive and a passive vacation when we can just veg. I think we have the best of both possible worlds with this trip. Sometimes the planning of a vacation is half the fun.

Hopefully we will figure out how to use the digital camera on this trip and I will be able to bring home some pictures of the West. I am not taking the lap-top. I am going to take a vacation from blogging too. It is time. But two weeks isn’t long.

The transformation is accomplished in so little time. The work of refreshment can be accomplished with rest or activitiy. But I do know there is change. I morph from being a glutted with too many appointments and too much responsibility into a place of suspended animation while on vacation. All of the stuff and bother of ministry is put on hold for a brief time and I can catch a breath. A little Canadian air will prove golden.

But today and over the weekend we have to get organized to be able to leave. The house straightened, the car cleaned out, the cats attended to, the rent paid, the bags packed and of course, some Olympics watched! It is time to put the laptop to sleep and get on with life.