I just finished a two-week vacation.

Every January, I do a vision board in conjunction with my goal setting. On my vision board this year was “old school summer”. I am becoming more and more dissatisfied with social media and all the screen time (I get the irony that I’m posting on social media).

Old school summer brings visions of staying up late, lost in a good book. Sleeping in, spending time with family and friends, and at times simply being bored.

I dubbed this vacation “old school vacation with a side of the arts.”

Getting to vacation was a little rough. January – June were full; overflowing, ready to burst at the seams full. I never really sat down to figure it all out until the day before vacation. Thank God for flexible friends and family. It also did not help that I started vacation with an appointment to get 7 pre-cancerous spots removed from my face, scalp, and leg.

I spent a couple of days with my sister and brother-in-law. Those days were filled with laughter, reading, meaningful conversations, and not so serious conversations. We had Scooter’s world famous hotdogs. Got to ride with Scott to feed the cat colony, had pie with their neighbors, and went to the VFW with Nancy to hang with her friends. I love that they both just let me come and insert myself into their lives.

On the way home, I was able to spend the afternoon at the Cleveland Art Museum. It’s one of my favorite places to go and the cafe inside is amazing.

And I read. A lot. Almost a book a day. Thirteen books in 15 days.

I went with friends to Blossom Music Center to see the Cleveland Orchestra with Idina Menzel. It rained for a bit (and we had lawn seats) but it was so worth it. “The rain never bothered me anyway” (see what I did there 😉 )

And the highlight of vacation was going to Niagara Falls/Niagara on the Lake with friends. I LOVE Niagara Falls, especially the Canadian side. The depth of conversation, the laughter, the beauty of the falls, and the food were life giving and soul enriching. These two ladies love Jesus and love life. Malachi 3:16 says, “Then those who feared the Lord spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to what they said in his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name.” Friendships that honor the Lord are truly a gift.

It started out rough with a 6 a.m. text from our Airbnb on the morning we were to leave saying our cottage flooded due to catastrophic rain. We ended up staying at Butterfly Manor, a cute B&B about a mile from the Falls and Clifton Hill. Breakfast was amazing and the whole butterfly theme was fun and whimsical.

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One of the gifts of vacation was the reminder to be present: to enjoy simple things, surround myself with what brings me joy, and resist the urge to fill every moment with activity.

Vacation also awakened a deeper hunger to explore—not only new places and nature, though those matter, but also new ideas and perspectives.

• Through reading books that stretch my imagination and understanding
• Through writing that helps me process what I am learning
• Through time with people who challenge me to think more deeply

As I explore my faith, the heart of God, and the world around me, I am invited to grow, change, and be transformed.

I want to incorporate more of that old-school summer rhythm into my everyday life by giving myself permission to slow down, leave space unfilled, and even be bored.

I want to live simply, remembering that living simply is also a way of living deeply.