Heading in the same direction

Can't wait to have a few
 conversation
with this little man.

My family and I have spent the last several days at the beach.  We have laughed, shopped and eaten all week.  Although many of the things that we have done have been enjoyable, the one thing that I will treasure about this week is the opportunity we have had to talk.  Just talk!  There have been no agendas and no schedules to keep.  In fact, unlike many of our other vacations together we haven't really planned anything.  Well other than our meals.  It got me to thinking: Why is it that I have to remove myself from my "day to day" in order to enjoy fully my loved ones?  Why are my days so full of "priorities" (of course I am loosely speaking) that I lose sight of the importance of connecting with those who fill me up emotionally?  My daughter's and I found a couple of places where we took some Zumba classes.  The chats to and from those classes were priceless.  My daughter in law and I have spent our early mornings chatting while she sat connected to the breast pump.  We have enjoyed conversation after conversation around the dinner table and in the car during our travels.  Relationship is all about communication.  Yet most of our conversations today happen through text, Facebook, or email and if we are real lucky on the telephone where we actually HEAR someone's voice.  It's a shame that the one thing that helps hold a relationship together is scarce to find in today's world.  You see couples sitting in restaurants, not engaging in conversation, but on the cell phones playing games or texting others.  You see cars filled with people who, for the most part, are not talking with each other, but are talking to others on their cell phones.  The art of conversation is becoming extinct and we shouldn't have to be on vacation to have a good one.  So this is my vow.  I will pay attention to those around me more than I pay attention to my phone.  I will make just as much of an effort to check in on loved ones as I do checking in on Facebook.  I will even schedule, if I have to, to call my family and friends on a regular basis.  There are 24 hours in a day for all of us, but not all of us spend them wisely.  Least of all, not I.  At least not up until today.  Oh I have gotten a lot done.  I have encouraged many.  I have kept my house clean, my plants watered, and put dinner on the table.  I have completed tasks at work, supervised others, and prepared for successful ministries.  However, if tomorrow should bring some life changing event, will all of those things matter?
God made it very clear that we are to love, love, love one another.  Relationships are of the most importance.  If they are that important to Him then they are that important to me, or should be.  Vacation for me this year has given me yet another opportunity to reevaluate where I am and where God wants me to be.  To make some small course corrections so that He and I are heading in the same direction.