August 2, 2010

Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

Having just returned from a refreshing two weeks away from home—no postings for a while gave you a clue, right?—I’m naturally attuned to talk of vacations.

So when I saw a piece in The New York Times about President Obama’s controversial weekend getaway to Acadia National Park in Maine, I took the time to read it.

I was heartened to see that the First Family seems to enjoy our parks—last summer they went to Yellowstone.  At Acadia, they boated on Frenchman’s Bay, hiked, rode bikes and went to the summit of Cadillac Mountain, the tallest peak on the Eastern Seaboard and a great spot to catch a sunrise (I’ve been there three times, so I can easily envision the places they went).

The problem, according to some commentators, was that Michelle Obama had just urged Americans to vacation in communities along the Gulf of Mexico that have been economically hard hit from the oil spill.

Kind of makes me glad nobody’s scrutinizing my leisure activities…

Actually, Someone is. God goes with me on vacation, too, and not just in the Bible I pack and admittedly don’t read often enough while I’m away. He’s in the car, on the plane, walking the beach, hiking up trails, and at tourist attractions right next to me.

He remains the same God no matter where I go. The question is, am I as consistent?

The sad answer is, not always. I get cranky when my careful vacation planning falls apart (just ask Joe…). Haphazard meal times + heat = headaches and more crabbiness (ditto). I have a real problem with airport security procedures, and deplore the fact that baggage fees mean more people bring their bags onboard (even as I contribute to the problem). And I hate having to deal with crowds (I have enough at home, that’s why I’m escaping!).

It’s sometimes tempting to act differently (i.e. worse) around strangers whom I probably will never see again. But I’m mindful that my “public”—God—is “looking down with love,” as the old familiar children’s Bible song says, and I need to be just as careful what my eyes see, my ears hear and my mouth speaks when I go away as I try to be at home.