Just returned from a week away with my family and wife’s parents in beautiful Galena, Illinois. While I was there I also became 38 years old! There was a time when I thought 40 was old… nah, 40 is still a punk!!!
One of the benefits of being away was that I had very little Internet or iPhone coverage… though I did have to snag an unsecured network here or there a few times to check in and make sure my staff was still working. (just kidding!)
Technically this was not a vacation (then I do disconnect completely) but this was a writing retreat, and it was wonderful to get some concentrated time writing the second Kidology Leadership Lab… something only hinted at so far on Kidology.org but soon to be released in October 2007! Whaddaya know, I’m actually starting to work AHEAD on projects! If you know me, you should be impressed that I am writing Unit 2 when Unit 1 is in the can but still unreleased! It’s all part of living a slower paced life now. But better than the focused time to write was the time with family in a beautiful natural setting away from the busyness of suburban life!
To give you a taste of our week and some glimpses into God’s creation in Northwest Illinois where General Grant grew up… enjoy this highlight video!
We were staying at Triple Creek Ranch, a Christian retreat center for pastors and missionaries that our family has gone to for over 15 years and where (blush) Sara and I spent a week of our honeymoon. We are sad that the ministry is now selling this Ranch so this was probably our last time there, which made this visit both sad and special. My mom, who is now checked in at the Heavenly Retreat with Jesus, considered Triple Creek Ranch her second home. So it brought back many happy memories of days relaxing with her in this beautiful place.
If anyone wants to donate a few million dollars to Kidology, we’ll buy it and make a retreat for children’s pastors! Well, we can dream, can’t we? The ministry is still going but will only be running their Colorado locations now. So i guess that is where we will head next time for some R and R… Relax and Re-creation!
