At the top of Denzer Hill

It truly is rustic!

Oct. 17, 2013

Psalm 80:10

The mountains were covered with its shade, the might cedars with its branches.

Do you ever feel like you need a vacation? And there is not one in sight? Or if is one booked, it seems like a long ways away?

Create for yourself a mini-vacation.

I had one for some brief minutes this afternoon. I drove home via a different route than normal. It’s a route I used to drive and know well, through a rustic area of the Baraboo Bluffs. The leaves are maybe just past their peak. Yet, as I drove down Denzer Road, I felt like they were wearing their wedding clothes for me. The golden hour was nearing; the last couple hours of daylight. This is a golden time for photographers. While the shadows are long, the natural light is softer. It is diffused differently. It is a favorite time to capture nature’s beauty.

I stopped and shot a few quick pictures. The shots aren’t artistically staged. I took them in less than five minutes. As I stood in the middle of the road, I felt like on a mini-vacation. The air was crisp and quiet. I breathed in the beauty of the vibrant yellows, the copper reds and the brilliant oranges. A couple vehicles temporarily interrupted my mini-vacation but not enough to bother me.

A wonderful way to restore mental health is to create a little mini-vacation. Interestingly, I had no clue I would encounter one while driving home. It just happened! Maybe it was because of the leaves. Maybe it was because I was in the car by myself today (a rarity these days). Maybe it was because I was excited that I got a closet and bedroom cleaned at my in-laws. The reason is insignificant. Driving through the goergeous Baraboo bluffs, my heart felt lighter. I felt I was away, if only for a little while.

Our brains need breaks. Whether planned or completely by accident, when one comes along, capture it. They can be as simple as having coffee at your favorite spot, walking your favorite route, re-reading a favorite book. Something neat can happen with little mini-vacations. The right endorphins get released, a calmness creeps over us and we feel right.  We will re-enter the world soon enough. Relish the moments of a mini-vacation. Let your heart, mind and soul simply say, “Ahhhh…”

Lord God, thank you for giving me this special mini-vacation today. It was so completely unexpected and yet a great mental break. Thank you for orchestrating such brilliant colors along my route home today and the fortitude to stop and appreciate them. Forgive me when you wanted to give me a little mini-vacation and I was not savvy enough to recognize its disguise. I pray for those who desperately need a mini-vacation. May something come along in their lives to give them the needed mental break. Amen.

Blessings –

Dianne

If you have enjoyed this blog, please pass it along to someone else who might also enjoy it.