Are you on vacation?  If not, picture yourself there.  If it helps, picture some vacation advertisements – a family walking on the beach hand in hand.  A hammock and cold drink.  A mountain, or a city, or whatever means rest to you!

It feels good, doesn’t it?  It’s proven: in a study published in Journal of Occupational Medicine.  Three days after vacation participants reported fewer physical complaints, a more positive mood, and better sleep.

But vacation can’t solve everything.  The study found the big picture of life unchanged from vacation.  There was no change to general life-satisfaction.  Five weeks after the end of vacation only the extent of physical complaints was still significantly smaller as compared to the pre-vacation level.   Everything else was back to normal.      http://occmed.oxfordjournals.org/content/50/3/167.full.pdf

So how do we really rest, if hopping on a plane, renting a cottage or vegetating at home just aren’t enough?

It means clearing our heads and hearts, but not by zoning out, bur rather by focusing them on something else….God!

We asked some people: what helps you clear your head on vacation?

Question: What helps you clear your head on vacation?  How long does it take to distance yourself from work?

Ryan Sim - April 10, 2013

Wednesday - Change - Neighbours

Sermon on the Mount

Jesus makes it exceedingly clear that he really does expect his followers to love their enemies, with a very specific kind of love. Question: What sort of thoughts or feelings come into your mind and heart when you consider THAT person (your enemy)? If Christian love (agape) is unconquerable benevolence and invincible desire - what might that practically look like in relation to THAT person (your enemy)?

From Series: "Sermon on the Mount"

Discuss the Daily Challenge

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