Gimme a Break! Friday Five

From Songbird....

Where we live, it's February School Vacation Week!

Yes, that's an odd thing, a vacation extending President's Day. But it's part of our lives here. Some people go South or go skiing, but we always stay home and find more humble amusements.

In that spirit, I offer this Taking a Break Friday Five. Tell us how you would spend:

1. a 15 minute break:

I cannot tell a lie (it is, after all, President's Day Week). I take my 15 minute break doing this. Being online. Blogging and reading blogs. Surfing, as it were, the net. Pretty boring and not in the least healthy. But it's the truth.

The other thing I do: call my dear ones. Little Mary, are you there? And Brigid? You're the ones.

2. an afternoon off

I would try not to do exactly what I do above. How about some movement? A walk? I was heading back to church from a nursing home visit yesterday afternoon and I noticed for the first time (in a year and a half!) that the street of the nursing home leads to a trail right by the river. I saw the water at the end of the street (which in the summer is probably obscured by foliage), and my heart bounced just a little bit. I wanted to be there. Duly noted.

Today, of course, I'm spending the afternoon with my girl. See my previous post.

3. an unexpected free day

Oh... movies? Find a friend and have lunch? That's a big favorite. Resist the temptation to work on my sermon? Must get better at that. Must start trusting that all will be well. (I heard that somewhere)

4. a week's vacation

Two different options: one, take Larry and Petra to visit my dad. It's always a bit challenging to try to see him, living 250 miles away as we do, and working weekends as I do. So... usually a week of our summer vacation time is spent with him. This has the distinct advantage of incorporating time at the ocean, which is necessary to my soul.

Two, a week at the ocean with friend(s). Or, a week divided between ocean and fabulous city.

OK, three, for very special occasions when I'm feeling flush (hasn't happened in the last 5 years). A trip to Europe. There. I've said it.

5. a sabbatical

Some seminary friends and I are batting around the idea of a trip to Israel and Palestine in 2011. I've never been, neither have they... maybe we could get a seminary prof to go with us. You know? Probably not a true sabbatical... just our two weeks of study leave. But we are thinking.