The First Day of My Post-Sabbatical Life

I woke up this morning to discover only 5 emails in my EFCA West inbox.  I have been on sabbatical for 13 weeks and there were only 5 emails in my EFCA West inbox.  How is that possible?

It took some planning.  By the end of yesterday I deleted all email that had come into my inbox during those 13 weeks without reading it.  (I did warn anyone who had written me during the 4 weeks prior to my sabbatical.)

This simple step of deleting the contents of my inbox by the end of my sabbatical was brilliant and it has given me freedom to start doing the important things today instead of trying to discern which email really needed my attention.  It worked so well I think I’ll use this anytime I’m going to be gone a week or longer.  Who wants to take all that rest you’ve experienced and lose it in the first few minutes of your first day back by having all those unanswered emails?

Yesterday I told someone my sabbatical is not what I planned but what God knew I needed.  Sharon was quick to add, "And what I needed."  It was a season with more stress but fewer deadlines.  It was a season of lower expectations but increased joy.  It was a season of poor timing but rich reward.  I wouldn't trade any of the experiences I gained for any of the plans I lost.

What else did I learn on my sabbatical?

• While I am in no hurry to get there, I’m going to be o.k. when it comes time to retire.
• Expectations are funny things.
• The Rolling Stones were right, “You can’t always get what you want.”
• A life well-lived is the result of thousands of small choices.
• Even after almost 40 years, my wife still likes spending time with me.
• While I’m not indispensable, I am missed when I’m gone.
• Grieving takes many forms.
• As Mr. Darcy said, “My good opinion once lost is lost forever.”  (Well, maybe not forever, but for a very long time.)
• My grandchildren are above average.
• I like my ministry.  I love my life.