BY GREG MILLER
“Summer is a great time of the year to relax and rejuvenate,” said Polly, who received 12 weeks annual vacation.
“Whenever the scorching temperatures and steaming humidity rise, there’s nothing better than dangling your feet in a smooth flowing creek, feeling the gentle ripples of cool, refreshing water between your toes,” Polly told Paul, her husband.
“Exactly!” exclaimed Paul, who only received one week’s vacation on his job. “But catching a big fish to eat for dinner is also a pretty big thrill!”
Polly usually took one week’s vacation time to spend with Paul. The couple spent about half of the week going to a popular local tourist area, while spending the other half of the week simply relaxing and enjoying each other’s company in the scenic environs of nature. “It’s great to spend time with each other and, at the same time, feel closer to our creator,” said Paul.
On the final night of their combined vacation week, Polly and Paul ate a leisurely meal cooked over their cozy campfire, shared stories about how God’s love had brought them together and stories about how happy they were to have experienced God’s love and salvation.
Polly’s other 11 weeks of vacation were usually spent traveling to various parts of the world on mission trips, sharing the love of Jesus with people of different cultures. Japan, Jamaica, Hungary, Germany, Uganda, and South Africa, as well as various towns and cities in the United States, were all among Polly’s destinations.
Paul and Polly were in constant communication with each other during Polly’s trips. Daily phone calls and frequent email messages were the norm. Occasionally, on longer trips, notes were even sent via the old-fashioned “snail mail” postal system.
Although they deeply missed each other, both Polly and Paul realized the importance of reaching out to the world with the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. When Polly was away on a mission trip, before going to sleep each night, the couple spent a few moments praying together.
“Thank you, Father, for allowing us to share your love with the world and with each other,” Polly said. “We realize that your love is the most powerful force in the world. Your love heals, helps, and brings hope and deliverance and abundant life in this present world, as well as eternal life in the world to come!”
“The way I think about it,” said Paul, “is that when we come to the Lord for salvation, the abundant life that we experience in this world is just a stepping stone to the eternity that we will experience in the next world. Just a stepping stone into God’s presence for eternity!”
(To contact the writer of this column about speaking engagements (in the U.S.A.), including Christian Comedy Fundraising Outreaches, Christian Creativity Seminars and/or puppet ministry, please type “Speaking Engagements” in the subject line and e-mail raysofson@gmail.com, kidcool4jesus@yahoo.com or ministry4jesus@yahoo.com.)