One of my major faults as a husband (and I freely admit to many faults) is that I do not do vacations well. Over the last 40+ years vacations have been canceled or shortened because of things happening in the church. Money for vacations has sometimes been an issue. Sometimes it was a car you just could not trust to take anywhere. But mostly, over the years I have been unable to focus on getting away from it all and having fun. Either the church at the time has filled my mind or, during the funeral home days, the families I felt I was neglecting.

          Last week’s vacation could have been different. I have been trying to change my outlook on life since my surgery. I figure Marsha deserves that from me. Those canceled vacations and shortened vacations have affected her, as well. What we should have done with this vacation is that we should have gone somewhere instead of going ‘home.’

          While on vacation everyone I talked to asked me how it felt to be ‘home.’ I know what they meant. In a ten mile stretch on Rt. 20 in Northeast Ohio there are three towns. Perry to the west, Madison in the middle and Geneva to the east. I grew up in Perry, Marsha and I lived in Madison and we pastored and lived in Geneva, where our son and his wife still live. If anywhere is home, it is that stretch of three towns. Except it isn’t home. Not to me. For the first little bit when someone would ask how was it being home, I replied, “I’ll let you know next week.” I thought that was funny and clever. It just got met with confused looks, so I let it go.

          While on vacation we saw, and stayed with, family. That is always a good thing. For a little while. No longer do you have to worry about long distance calling rates, so we are in contact with family whenever we want to be. Getting together is enjoyable as far as being in their presence, but there is nothing to catch up on. Margaret had a bout with cancer and had surgery, but Marsha stayed on top of that. Adam struggled with his long drive to work last winter, but we knew all about it. Buddy has gotten some things settled in his life, but we were aware. Nothing new to catch up with. I kept thinking about Mary Earle going zip lining and wishing we had done the same. It is not a lack of love for family. It is just that there are many things to do.

          While on vacation we got together with friends. Word got out through our daughter in law that we were coming into town and all of a sudden, our free time was gone. I got together with four different pastors over four meals (Marsha got to miss one of those get togethers). We also got together with the funeral home crew for a big meal together. It was very nice, but it also was not in the original plan. It certainly wasn’t wasted time. In these cases, there was catching up to do. Baby pictures to look at, stories to tell, tears to wipe away. I was, and still am, very close with the pastors and the funeral home crew. At one time I have prayed with all of them. There have been times when some of them have prayed with me. It just wasn’t part of the plan.

          While on vacation we got to see the sights. Sort of. There were some places we were absolutely going to go to, but never had the time. There is a favorite park we used to go to a lot and have picnics, particularly on New Year’s Day. (Amazing how empty parks are in Northeast Ohio on New Year’s.) Beautiful park. We have had great times there! We drove through. Took maybe 10 minutes. The Amish community in our area is not commercialized or built up. One small general store with a place to eat. We intended to drive around, but we went to the general store and had a sandwich. Not enough time for anything else. Lake Erie was always a part of our lives. Often the rolling of the surf would put us to sleep at night, or on occasion the tug boat horns blowing as they wrestled a ship into harbor would keep us awake. We sat in the car on a bluff over looking the Lake for about five minutes. Then we had to go.

          We left a day early because Marcia Knee was in the hospital, and it was a good thing. If we had left when we had planned I would never have gotten to have had my last conversation with her before her passing. But my Marsha and I were both happy to leave and come home. With the church happenings and school starting and the holidays rolling in (sorry, but it is true) there is so much to do and to look forward too. Vacations are good, but they don’t beat real life.

          There was one thing on vacation that was a real treat, though. Rev. Bob Cunningham pastored a church close by the church I pastored in Geneva for years. Bob and his wife Judy and Marsha and myself did some things as couples, ballgames, meals and such, but Bob and I got together weekly for coffee and conversation. When they retired they moved to Arizona for Judy’s health. Judy died a couple of weeks after my surgery and in time, Bob moved to where he wanted to move to in retirement, which was Florida. Though we talk often, we hadn’t seen each other in six years. As it happened, Bob was going to be coming up the same week we were going to Ohio. We arranged to have dinner together and then the three of us went to a ballgame. But the real fun came on Sunday. Bob had had a man in his church named Brett Hildabrandt who felt led into the ministry. Brett went through the lay ministry course under Bob and completed it. By that time Bob had retired. Brett then became my associate pastor for several years. He told me once that Bob had been his inspiration, I had been his mentor and Marsha had been his big sister. Brett now pastors a church in the area. He and I talk fairly often, but we haven’t seen each other since we moved here and he and Bob haven’t seen each other for quite a while. So, Bob and Marsha and I conspired to just pop in on him on Sunday morning. We sat down front on the third row. (typical church, we were the farthest ones forward in the church) Brett came in talking to one of the men. He was busy reading something, but he finally put it aside and started to scan the crowd. His eyes flitted past us and continued on, then he stopped and slowly came back to Marsha. Recognition settled on his face. Then he looked at me then Bob. He just dropped his head, but you could see the big grin. Now that was fun and worth the entire vacation.

          So, we are back. This past week has been busy, next week will be busy, holidays are coming………..good to be home.