An Afternoon Off

Sometimes as missionaries we really just need a day off, but finding the time is hard.  Two weeks ago I was feeling that need for a big city grocery store.  Byron had a whole list of car parts and boat parts and project parts that he needed and could only get in the "big city."  I tagged along with a good book and my cell phone to wait it out while he hit the parts stores so I could have my hour at the mall in town.  It was worth the wait.  

We just can't get some things in the little interior town where we live.  A trip to the big city can be refreshing.  It can also be disappointing as even there often what you want to out of stock, no longer available, etc., etc.  It's like a snipe hunt and you never know what you will find.  Thankfully that day, our finds were good and "happy."

Taking off a day to just do nothing, now that's a rare thing.  It's also a hard thing.  Missionaries are paid to work, and we take that very seriously.  Staying on task and on target are important.  But down time is needed for reevaluation and for rest.   

Yeah, that might be my finger at the bottom of the pic!

This past week Byron needed to make a run to the other side of the big lake near us to check on the old camp boat.  It's being used by a group doing making underwater maps of the lake bed.  It's parked and utilized as a base.  From time to time Byron has to go and move it to a new spot and just make sure that all is well.  

He asked if I'd like to go along and we could stop at the dunes on that side of the lake on the way home for a picnic supper.  Off we went with snacks in tow.  It's a good hour and a half drive.  We spent about 30 minutes at the boat and had about an hour of time at the beach. I had never been there before and was impressed at how large the dunes were and how much it look just like an ocean beach.

  

I'm not much for swimming in the lake, but I went prepared and waded in.  We had a great time and even though it was just us (no kids to act silly and splash about), we enjoyed the moment.  It wasn't long.  It wasn't a whole afternoon.  We combined it with a needed trip.  But it was just what a doctor would have ordered.

Missionaries need little breaks and sometimes big breaks to keep going on all those other days full of activity!