Sabbatical Dreaming

As I began to plan for an 11- week sabbatical, the Lilly Endowment suggested that anyone applying for grant through them should design their time around what makes his or her heart sing. My problem is that too many things make my heart sing...family, learning new things, traveling, reading, resting, worshiping, friendship, color, watching movies and more.

As of today, I am 17 days away from beginning my sabbatical. I have tried to pack it full of the things that make my heart sing.

• a family reunion in Oregon
  
• an extended road trip with my son that includes visiting my other son and my father
• a week in New York City with my sister
  
• a trip to Greece with my husband
  
• worshiping in vibrant and progressive churches
  
• djembe lessons
  
• a stack of books
  
• naps
  
• trips to the beach
  
• blogging
  

I love to dream and make plans for a trip almost as much as I like to take the trip! I have spent way too many hours researching hotels, reading about places I will visit, studying different routes on Google maps, reading travel books on Greece, and researching churches in Oregon, Chicago, New York City and Southern California. I have forbidden myself to do anymore planning at this point. I still have three sermons to preach, several committee meetings to attend, and details to finish up before my sabbatical begins on August 4.

I hope to write about my sabbatical on this blog. I value the opportunity to process all that I will experience. What gift a sabbatical is!