There are wonderful ways you can achieve rest and refreshment without breaking your wallet. Create your very own thematic staycation! What do I mean by a thematic staycation? It’s a themed way of doing a vacation from home or at least with some local appeal. Here are some ideas to get you started. I’m confident they can be a launching pad for even more fun ways to relax. Enjoy these thematic staycations:
Bible Study Day-Is there a certain book of the Bible you would like to study? Maybe you can read it throughout the day. Keep a notebook handy and write down questions, characters, places and special words that are mentioned. Get your whole family involved. What can you learn from each other?
Art Day-visit your local art store. Take time to learn a new hobby. Maybe you will try your hand at crochet, knitting, painting, woodworking or drawing. Browse through an art book. Maybe you could visit an art museum. Then create your own artwork as a response to something you have seen.
Friendship Day– Make a plan to meet up with a friend. Send some cards to friends to reconnect. Make time to have real conversations with key people in your life. How many friendships can be reignited before the close of the day? How many friendship meetings can you put down in your calendar for the week or month ahead?
Music Day-Is there a concert you can attend? School concerts are very special indeed. It’s always exciting to encourage the younger generation as they try their hand at a new instrument or sing their best in a choir. Have you ever considered playing an instrument? Why not visit a music store and try your hand at a few instruments. If you already play an instrument, go all out to learn a new song or perfect your skill in some way.
Baking Day– Bake bread, cookies, cakes, brownies, and muffins. Send a basket of baked goods with your child to school, or give the basket of goodies to a neighbor or your family member as they make their way to the office. Bake and be a blessing!
Reading Day-Visit your local library and gather books that interest you for the month. Maybe browse a book store or even try an audio book. Turn your “wait” time in traffic or at an appointment into productive time getting through content that interests you.
Cooking Day-Try your hand at various recipes. Revisit old, familiar ones and try something totally new. Shop for new, fresh and different ingredients. Go for new tastes. How could you make a family favorite into a healthier recipe? Where could you add more veggies? Create meals for your day and extra for the week ahead. Save the rest in the freezer. Make something for a family member or friend who could use the added meal helper!
Witnessing Day-In how many ways can you share the gospel today? Could you set up a breakfast meeting with a neighbor who needs to know Jesus? Could you send out an email explaining the gospel to all of your contacts? Could you send an actual invitation to a friend to join you at church this Sunday? Pray for your unsaved loved ones that they will come to know Jesus for themselves. Pray for a heart to know the Lord. Pray for wisdom and boldness to share the gospel to them.
Gardening Day-Read up on flowers and plants that interest you. Start planting seeds indoors. Create a drawn draft of what you want your garden to look like. Don’t have a garden space? Then find out about growing plants and even vegetables inside! Start your own container garden at home and liven up your living spaces.
Prayer Day-Make your own Prayer Retreat. Pray at home. Take a prayer walk in your neighborhood or at the park. If it’s raining, take a prayer drive and pray for areas of interest like your school, shopping mall, hospital and other areas of significance. Maybe you will want to set aside time praying with key people in your life today. Write out various prayers in your journal. Read from the Psalms and personalize them into your own words of praise.
May all of your thematic staycations be memorable and meaningful. Have a happy thematic staycation! In everything may Christ’s Name be praised.
Pastor Sharon's Blog 