missing Ridge (but swimming with dolphins)

That's right. I am missing Ridge Church today for only the 2nd time... EVER. For only the 2nd time since we launched this baby almost 2 years ago. (Really less than 1 year ago since we launched every Sunday morning.)

It feels kind of weird. Not being at Ridge this morning. I want to be there. I wish I were gonna be there. We're opening with a killer cover that I pitched to Rusty a while back. I told him it would be money to go with this talk in our "5 Things God Uses to Grow Your Faith" series. I don't think I'm spoiling anything because probably no one will read this before the band rocks it in a few hours morning (or if you do read it then maybe it will encourage you to show up and check it out @ 11AM...) - So, the opener is Typical by the one & only Mute Math! So bummed I'll miss it. I'm singing along though... ("cuz I KNOW THERE'S got to be another level, SOME WHERE closer to the other side AND I'M feelin' like it's now or never... CAN I BREAK THE SPELL... of the typical?")

& The Upstreet team is presenting something pretty cool tomorrow to all the k-5th grade kids... how to enter into a relationship with Jesus. it will be an awesome day. Wish I could be there. + only 2 more weeks until we kick off our brand new student service...

BUT, lots of wise men have told me that you can't truly have a vacation & a relaxing sabbath that will recharge you emotionally, physically, & spiritually unless you're totally away from your work... including not being there on Sunday.

So, I think I've succeeded pretty well in not working since we've been here on Seabrook. I miss Ridge today & I feel a little out of place not being there, but I'm confident everything will go down awesomely with the amazing volunteer team, so I won't have any worries.
I definitely enjoyed sleeping in & not getting up @ 5am!

We have been out to the beach here @ Seabrook almost every day! And every day we've been to the beach we've seen dolphins! It's been pretty awesome.

In fact, one day (all my days run together here, so I can't really remember which day) I SWAM WITH 2 DOLPHINS FOR ABOUT A HALF HOUR!!! It was unbelievable, so I don't even expect you to believe me. I wish we had the camera on the beach that day.
Crystal and I were walking romantically along the beach & she saw 2 of them kind of playing swimming along the shoreline. They were going about the same speed as us, so we walked and watched them for about 10 minutes. They were SO CLOSE to the shore! So Crystal was like, "why don't you go out there and try to touch one?" & I was like "OK."
I swam with them for a LONG time. I was crazy tired by the time we got back to the villa! I didn't actually get to touch one, but they were swimming all around me & I was close enough to touch them a few times. 2 times one of them almost SMACKED ME IN THE FACE WITH ITS TAIL!!! Not to be mean, it was just playing & doing flips, etc... It was wild. It was so close that it splashed water all over me those 2 times it did that! Really really fun.

We love Seabrook. It's so beautiful & secluded. Hardly anyone here. We basically have the beach & pool to ourselves. Awesome villa with a beautiful view off the deck. While spending time with Jesus out there on the deck I've also been reading Richard Foster's Devotional Classics from Renovare, which has sweet excerpts from about 100 famous dead guys from all eras.

I've actually been able to read a good bit too. Almost finished with Think Orange by Reggie Joiner. It is THE manifesto for Family Ministry. (Almost 300 pages & brand new.) I highly recommend it & it is definitely causing me to do a lot of rethinking about our family ministries @ Ridge.
+ Crystal is trying to suck me into this whole Harry Potter phenomenon, so I'm like 100 pages into the 1st book. Seriously, this lady is a pretty amazing author!
For some light reading (lol) on the beach I've been into Karl Barth's Humanity of God.

So Seabrook is the perfect balance because of all I just said above with the seclusion & the beauty & the swimming with wild dolphins, BUT Charleston is just 30 minutes aways with tons of stuff going down there. We didn't leave downtown last night til around 1AM. good times. good restaurants. pretty cool place.
So, this vacation spot kind of has the best of both worlds.

And I'm enjoying this relaxing sabbath with my wife for a few more days... peace!