For the Good Use of Leisure

O God, in the course of this busy life, give us times of
refreshment and peace; and grant that we may so use our
leisure to rebuild our bodies and renew our minds, that our
spirits may be opened to the goodness of your creation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP 825)

It isn’t always easy to set aside and keep time for rest, refreshment and peace. But in creation God sanctified such time by instituting the weekly Sabbath. Vacation time is part of our culture. And some vocations provide a sabbatical time of several months or a year every so many years. 

Visiting Australia on business over thirty years ago I learned that industry shut down for the annual month of summer holiday from the week before Christmas to late January. It varied by state, but generally coincided with their three term school schedule. Everybody had a month’s vacation at the same time, then returned to work rested and ready.  

Annual school summer vacation is about to begin across America. Generally two to three months depending on the state and school district. Families who are going to take off usually have a week to a month during that time while the children are out of school. All kinds of adventures happen during summer vacation. It’s a good time for children and families.

My two favorite days as a schoolboy were the first day of Christmas vacation and the first day of summer vacation, looking forward to the long break ahead. It wasn’t idle time, because from age nine on I worked in my father’s business all vacations. Left little time for play, but it was a break, a change, and a good thing. And from age ten on my mother always stood up to my father to see that I got two weeks off for summer church camp.

TW+