October 20, 2022
Dear Peace Families,
This week I had to bring my car into the local auto shop to get an oil change, in addition to some extra items that came up in my 100,000 mile inspection. It’s certainly not the most fun thing to do, for my time or for my wallet, but it is necessary to keep my vehicle running well and efficiently for as long as possible. And, it forces me to stop and assess how things are running.
And, on this MEA Weekend, it got me thinking that maybe oil changes and long weekends aren’t so different.
Growing up in the Twin Cities, I remember thinking how awesome it was, all the way through middle school, to have an extra-long weekend to enjoy with my family and friends. Sometimes we would go visit family in Wisconsin, other times we would stay home and get all of the fall chores done during the day so that we could watch movies and eat popcorn in the evening.
By the time I was in high school, MEA came with a season of midterms, papers, books to read, and college visits. They were important things to do, but there was much less rest involved!
In conversations with many of you, it sounds like your weekends will be a mix of these activities too. Wherever it leads you, I pray you each make the time for some adventure, some relaxation, and yes, maybe some catch-up on your to-do lists as well. But most of all, I hope it offers you a time to take a holy pause.
Ask yourselves, is this season going the way you had hoped, both for yourself and your family? If so, what needs to continue to keep that up? If not, what needs to change? Making the time to stop and assess is probably the best thing you can do to make sure your family stays healthy in body, mind, and spirit through the rest of the season.
Grace and Peace,
Joe
PS. Trunk or Treat is next Saturday, October 29! Have you registered to host a trunk, yet? We would love the entire Peace community’s participation, as we are expecting over 200 kids!
Family Tip Of The Week
On this MEA Weekend, make time with your family to catch up—on chores, fun, and relaxation.