Skip to Main Content
Women of the ELCA
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Tools For Leaders
  • Publications
  • Daily Grace
  • Contact
  • Ministry & Action
    • Discipleship
    • Justice
      • Human Trafficking
      • Racial Justice Advocacy
      • Racial Justice Advocacy Network resources
      • Domestic Violence
    • Membership
    • Stewardship
      • Thankofferings
      • Faithful Friends
      • Katie’s Fund
      • Gift Planning
    • Special Initiatives
      • Raising Up Healthy Women & Girls
      • Dear Friend in Christ
    • Scholarships
      • Lutheran laywomen
      • Lutheran Ordained Ministry
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Events
  • About
    • History
    • Executive Board
    • Staff
    • Get Involved
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Tools For Leaders
  • Publications
  • Daily Grace
  • Contact
« Back to All Daily Grace

Sabbath joy

7.29.2015
|
Daily Grace

“When can we go to Disney World, Mom? Everyone in my class is going and we never get to go anywhere.” Could a trip to Disney bring my family sabbath joy? It’s possible. But it’s just as possible that these trips mostly provide escapist vacating from life instead of the recreation and rest we truly need. The kids want magic. And the good news is that we don’t have to take a trip to an expensive theme park to get it.

My family spends time in the summer at Twin Bridges Park in Wisconsin, where fishing with uncles and boating with cousins combine to make their own spells of childhood happiness. It is where our over-programmed lives pause and the only schedule that matters is who’s on deck for tubing.

In addition to the Disney dreaming, my daughter offered this out of the blue: “Do you know what I love most about Twin Bridges? I love being in the boat and then jumping off and swimming in the water.” Her memory evoked the magic of camping and the joy of spending hours in the clear and cool waters under North Woods trees.

So I will camp at Twin Bridges every summer we have the chance, because I know that the kids need magic, and that one day, Spirit willing, they’ll call it sabbath joy.

Today we remember Mary, Martha and Lazarus of Bethany; and Olaf, King of Norway, martyr (1030). This message was adapted from “Family Vacations” written by Elyse Nelson Winger that first appeared in the July/August 2011 issue of Lutheran Woman Today (now Gather) magazine.

Share
No Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Sign up for Daily Grace

Daily Grace is an on-the-go companion for your journey, offering a faith reflection every day. Encounter God’s extravagant, boundless and often surprising grace by signing up for a daily email message. You can also download the newly updated app for your IOS and Android devices.

Women of the ELCA
29 Jan
Women of the ELCA
@WomenoftheELCA

Happy birthday, Katharina von Bora Luther! 🎉⭐️🎂 From "A Bold Life of Faith: Katharina von Bora Luther" by Linda Post Bushkofsky, A resource from Women of the ELCA, 2009. womenoftheelca.org/filebin/pd… #KatiesBirthday #2122KatiesFund #KatharinavonBoraLutherwasborntoday #Jan29 pic.twitter.com/fC9yD265al

Expand reply reply retweet retweet favorite favorite
Back to home

8765 W. Higgins Rd.

Chicago IL 60631

800-638-3522

[email protected]

Stay In Touch

Sign up for the WELCA Newsletter

Explore WELCA
  • Ministry & Action
  • Daily Grace
  • Resource Library
  • Events
  • Blog
  • News
  • About WELCA
  • Tools For Leaders
  • Publications
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Photos
Explore Publications

Bold Cafe

A Lutheran perspective for women of Christian faith or any woman who is interested in how faith relates to the issues facing women today.

Gather Magazine

A mix of articles, theological reflections, devotions and stories of comfort and challenge that help readers grow in faith.

Cafe Podcast

Subscribe to our podcast:

Click to subscribe

© Copyright 2023 Women of the ELCA. All Rights Reserved.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
© Copyright 2023 Women of the ELCA. All Rights Reserved.