Do you ever have one of those pull-out-your-hair moments when all you can think to say is “awesome”? Awesome is a great word, but in my case it’s too over used. If my vocabulary were a linen closet this word would be threadbare and frayed—ready for the rag bin.

Lately life has been so full and rich with God’s blessings. I was given a motorcycle, an oak tree for firewood, a great weekend with my mom and sister, precious time with my family and friends, an amazing communion on Sunday and I helped at our church outreach. All caused me to say to others, “It was awesome.”

So I’m presently frustrated with the limitations of language—my language and I am on the hunt for synonyms for the word awesome. Isn’t it interesting that each generation seems to have tried out different expressions to convey the awesomeness of their experiences? Which of these words did you ever use regularly?

1950’s—“Mind-boggling,” “Splendid!”, “Nifty,” “Tops,” or “Neat-o,”

1960’s—“Boss,” “Cool,” “Far out!!!!”, or “Groovy.”

1970’s—“Tight,” “Solid,” “Gnarly,” “Primo,” or “Stoked.”

1980’s—“Sweet,” “Killer,” or “Rad(ical).”

1990’s—“To-die-for,” “Sick,” or “Bad.”

2000’s—“Tubular,” “Legit,” “The bomb.”

Help me out. What word or words do you presently use to communicate when something is awesome?

After you know you need a sabbatical, you will want to make plans to take time off from work. If your church, corporation, or business has a sabbatical plan as part of your employment contract, you are already ahead of most of us.

If, however, you are approaching your employer with an idea that is totally foreign to him, you will need to plan your appeal judiciously. Here are some suggestions to help you outline your request:

1. Present your sabbatical plan in terms that your employer will find beneficial to his company. If you are a pastor, explain to your church board how a sabbatical will benefit the congregation.

2. Be flexible about the time off. Certain times of the year are more busy for some businesses than others and your sabbatical should not conflict with your employer’s busy season.

3. Offer to train someone to cover your duties while you are gone.

4. Discuss your financial needs if your company or church is willing to help with the financial coverage of your sabbatical.

5. Ask if your current position will be available for you to return to after your sabbatical. If not, ask if an equivalent job can be held for you.

6. Write out your proposal and leave it with your employer when you are done.

7. Give your boss some time to think about your proposal. Ask him when you can expect to hear back from him concerning your request. If he does not get back to you as expected, check in with him and ask him what he has decided.

8. If the answer is negative, consider other options. Could you do your job from any place in the world if you had internet connection? Would your boss consider your sabbatical an investment in his company if you included furthering your education while on sabbatical? What is the possibility of looking for another job with the prospect of a sabbatical tucked between the old and the new?

1. Spill coffee on the seat of your car and forget to thank God for both the car and the coffee.

2. Criticize your employer for the overtime hours you work during the holidays and never thank him for keeping you employed.

3. Resent a budget too tight for much Christmas shopping this year as you play Farm Town with friends on Facebook.

4. Neglect to thank God for the creative son who used your white wall as his latest Crayola canvas.

5. Complain about the frozen windshield of your car on a very cold morning while the cold calls you to dance with the Creator as winter is woven anew.

A sabbatical needs a purpose. Without clearly stated goals a sabbatical can morph into wasted time and energy. 

Grab a pencil and scribble some notes that will give your sabbatical meaning. Following are some questions to get you started.

1. What do you want to accomplish during your sabbatical? When you go back to your job, what is it that will make you feel that your hiatus from work was worth it?

2. How much time away is available for your sabbatical–two months, six months, or a year? Be realistic in your answer. Is this enough time to accomplish your sabbatical purpose? If not, what can you do to extend your sabbatical or readjust your goal?

3. What sort of activities do you need to schedule into your sabbatical to help you reach your goal?

4. Busyness can kill a sabbatical. What activities should you cut out of your life to leave room for the important ones you want to experience during your time away?

 5. How will you know that you have accomplished your purpose? What will you look for as a confirmation that you have fulfilled your objective?

6. Would the important people in your life agree with what you have written? Why or why not?

Revisit this list in several weeks to see if it still holds true for you. Fine tuning your intentions may take several rewrites, but the reward will be a sabbatical well spent.

© copyright 2009 by Susan Gaddis

I enjoy having my grandchildren come trick-or-treating on Halloween.

Restraining Tom from bothering the neighbors is a different story. I’ve come up with ten points to argue when he pulls out his pirate costume this year.

You know you are too old for trick-or-treating when:

1. The door opens and you say, “Trick or . . . ” and can’t remember the rest.
2. You have your granddaughter, Rilian, read the candy bar labels for you.
3. The police pick you up as a stray from the Alzheimer’s Board and Care Cottage.
4. You need a basket on your walker to carry your candy bag.
5. Your grandchildren don’t want to be seen on the same side of the street as you.
6. You’ve beat the neighbor’s dog with your cane because he stole your goodie bag.
7. You request high-fiber candy instead of a Mars bar.
8. You return home to the wrong house.
9. You want to keep the wig after Halloween is over because it reminds you of your hippie days.
10. By the end of the night, you have a bag full of restraining orders.

Burnout is common among ministry leaders. Self care is not something taught in Bible college.

A pastor works 24/7. He cannot refuse to minister to his congregation, nor can he refer people to another church when he feels over extended. Other professions often limit clients and refer folks to other providers, but not a pastor. Most emergencies require a pastor to be in attendance right away regardless of his office hours.

Folks in ministry cannot afford to get out-of-town on the weekend because their work involves their attendance at weekend services. Many have spouses who work in other fields and cannot take time off in the middle of the week. Plus, escaping the pressure usually involves finances that may be minimal on a pastor’s salary.

In her book, Mad Church Disease, Overcoming the Burnout Epidemic, Anne Jackson points out that burnout happens to Christians all over the world regardless of their age or position in leadership. In surveying over 900 people serving in churches, Anne found that “almost every person who completed the questionnaire said the stress form ministry had affected them either emotionally (most common were feelings of worthlessness, depression, anxiety, anger, or loneliness) or physically (most common problems were insomnia, headaches, stomach problems, heart issues, weight gain, or inflammation).”

When stress is not addressed in a healthy manner, it leads to burnout. Unattended, the buildup of stress in our lives can destroy us, our families, and our ministries. “I would rather burn out than rust out,” may have sounded wise to the preachers of the 20th century, but neither burning out or rusting out is a wise prescription for the 21st century.

A sabbatical can provide needed rest, reflection, and counseling. Most of all, a sabbatical allows a ministry leader to reconnect with the God who called him or her into ministry in the first place–the God who calls us to come to him and find rest.

We found the God of Rest during our sabbatical on a cruise ship, in coffee shops, in days that had no agenda, in the laughter of family and friends, and in the quiet hours discussing our thoughts with him alone.

Are you in some form of ministry? What are you doing to provide self care for yourself and for those who serve with you in ministry? How might a church consider a sabbatical as part of a self care package for those who serve among them?

Drama and crisis can seem to dominate our lives. At least that is the way my life felt for many years.

I finally decided that most of life’s drama and crisis were not really such at all. They were simple life situations that I was magnifying beyond their importance.

When the drama starts to dictate my life, then it is time to get off the merry-go-round. Centering in on the important things of reflection, prayer, and taking my thoughts captive brings a centeredness that begins to refocus my attention to what is a more peaceful, Christ honoring response to life.

Most issues are not my business since they are outside of my control or outside of my responsibility. If something isn’t my business and I can’t do anything about it, then why on earth would I want to stress myself out mentally? 

Life happens, so they say, but it doesn’t have to be drama driven.

Once the privilege of pastors and academics, the practice of a Sabbatical is now spreading to other professions within corporate America.

Taking the time for a sabbatical can nurture your soul, advance your career, give you an opportunity to visit that orphanage in China you have always wanted to help, or live in another country for a period of time.

Take a look at ten other benefits a Sabbatical can bring to your life and business.

1. Renewed passion, refreshed vision, and greater creativity

2. Enhanced productivity and longer tenure once you go back to work

3.  Your talents and skills refreshed and sharpened

4. An opportunity to strengthen your marriage and family

5. A season spent pursuing dreams, such as sailing around the world or furthering your education

6. A witness to the local community of the value a business or a church places on its employees

7. Physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health regained

8. An opportunity to investigate what it is that gives your life meaning and purpose

9. If you are in a corporate setting, a sabbatical can be a time for junior colleagues to fill in and demonstrate their talents. If you are a pastor, you may return to a church that has learned to use others within the congregation to do some of the jobs you once covered. How wonderful for you to come home to a fellowship that is doing the work of the ministry instead of relying on you to do most of it!

10. Rest

Did you ever wonder about the Jewish tradition of lighting candles on the Sabbath? It is a beautiful ritual that signals the beginning of the Sabbath.

Since a wife is the one who traditionally is the keeper of the heart of the home, it is usually she who lights the Sabbath candles on Sabbath eve. Sometimes a daughter will light the candles.

Often these are two candles representing the two biblical commands to keep the Sabbath, Exodus 20:8 and Deuteronomy 5:12. Some families light a candle for each child in the family or one for each day of the week.

The woman then covers her eyes and recites a blessing over the candles: Barukh  atah Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha’olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Sabbath. Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has made us holy through His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Sabbath light.

Although this is a lovely prayer, many Christians change it to, “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has made us holy through Your Son, Jesus Christ, and it is He, Light of the World, that we celebrate this Sabbath eve.”

After the blessing, many women pray for their family. When the blessing and prayers are completed, the woman uncovers her eyes and looks at the lighted candles, symbolizing the anticipation of answered prayer.

Does taking a sabbatical mean that I am selfish? Would I consider exercise, a healthy diet, or talking with a therapist selfish? I don’t think so!

Maintaining emotional, mental, physical and spiritual health is always the right call, which means a good self-care plan can include a periodic sabbatical. A well designed sabbatical will minister to all arenas of health.

Last Thursday I focused on signs of burnout. Many people headed for burnout do not consider taking a sabbatical because they believe to do so would be selfish. Perhaps looking at it from the other end of the leash will bring a different perspective.

• It is selfish to become distant from your family.
• It is selfish to ignore your health.
• It is selfish to be tense all the time.
• It is selfish to excuse your anger to those who have to endure your outbursts.
• It is selfish to be so fatigued that you can’t give your best at work.
• Is it selfish that your work suffers because of  your negative attitude.
• It is selfish to worry.

Arranging an extended amount of time to rejuvenate is part of taking care of yourself. Avoiding a sabbatical may be the most selfish thing you can do.