Ditch that load

At this time, many are thinking ahead to their summer holidays, others are already reflecting upon the summer holidays they have just had. For many of us, ‘taking a break’ is important, on a number of levels: ‘a change is as good as a rest’ we often say; ‘a chance to get away from the phone and the e-mails’ is another much used expression; ‘I’m just desperate to get away, I need a rest’ is also a favourite.

Yet going on holiday is one of the most stressful things we can do: the planning, the booking, what to pack, how much currency, anxiety about the travelling and the hotel at the other end, can all contribute to already high levels of stress, not to mention the blood pressure! And when we get there, as many of us like active or adventure holidays as like to just lie on the beach, so half of us must come home feeling like we need a holiday to get over the holiday! Hardly restful! Others get home feeling unrested and disappointed.

So what sort of rest do we really need? Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me’ (Matthew 11: 28-29a). To put that text into context, Jesus is describing how knowledge of God is received. To whom does the Son reveal the Father and himself? It is to those who are weary of carrying their own burden, who are overwhelmed by their lack of resources, who come in humility and place their own burdens on his shoulders and learn to rest. It is to them he says, ‘learn of me’.

Therefore, if you take your heavy load on holiday with you or just ‘park it’ temporarily and pick it up again as soon as you get back, not a successful holiday. If you are ready to, humbly, place you burdens on Christ’s yoke (a tool designed to make carrying things easier) and are ready to learn of him, to the point of doing what he teaches, you can enjoy and return from your break burden free: a successful holiday.

So as you plan your next holiday, looking for relief from the ‘heavy load’ you are carrying now, be realistic about what sort of rest your holiday can give you. Be ready to come to the one who can give real rest; learn of and do the things he teaches and he will carry your load so you can get on with living as he has called you to – when you get back from your restful holiday of course!

Every blessing,

Andy, Methodist Minister

sculpture at arts week ’08

Bronze resin heads by Beatrice Hoffman shown with paintings by Pixie Warburton at Church House

Kate meets the lions

Lions resting from mating. (They mate every 17 minutes for several days because of a low sperm count) Kate dropped her camera close to the brother of the female in this picture. The Ranger bravely rescued it for her. Kate’s blog on page 4

rainbows say it with sunflowers

Heather Cox receives plants for the Wellesbourne Methodists. Story on page 7