The Daily Saint

Hitting the Pause Button: Tips for a Great Vacation

I consider vacation to be as important as showing up on time for work- without it, you'll be in trouble.  It's sabbath keeping at its finest.  As I'll be away this week, here are some excellent pointers for making the most out of your vacation time:

10 money saving tips for vacation

Tips for renting a vacation home

10 tips for an affordable family vacation

Vacation exercise tips

12 radical and slightly naughty ways to stay productive when you're away

Positive and productive summer vacation ideas

Staycations: alternatives to pricey and stressful travel

36 tips for keeping travel as simple as possible

6 summer travel tips

Why we don't vacation like the French

2008 top American vacation destinations

3 Things I've Learned from the Pope's U.S. Visit

Pope Benedict XVI is quite a guy.   Even for those who are not Catholic, his profile and presence speak volumes.  I've learned the following:

1. Just because you are 81 doesn't mean you can't make the most of your position. See Benedict's grueling itinerary below.
2. Putting a problem on the table is always the best solution.  Benedict met yesterday with victims of sexual abuse.
3. Visits matter.  While Benedict is only in the States for a few days, his speeches and initiatives will take months to digest.

From meeting with thousands of people to President Bush to victims of sexual abuse, Benedict has made the most of his visit to the U.S.  Imagine the average 81 year old following this itinerary:

Date	Time	Description
Apr. 15	4:00  p.m.	Andrews Air Force Base Pope Benedict XVI arrives in Maryland and is greeted by President and Mrs. Bush as well as church officials. During his visit to Washington, D.C., the pope will stay at the Vatican Embassy, on Massachusetts Avenue NW.
Apr. 16	10:30 a.m.	White House Welcoming ceremony and private meeting with President Bush. This is only the second time a pontiff has visited the White House. John Paul II was the first.
Apr. 16	5:30 p.m.	National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Prayer service and meeting with 350 U.S. bishops at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Apr. 17	9:30 a.m.	Nationals Park The pope offers Mass. This will be the first non-baseball event in the new park.
Apr. 17	5:00 p.m.	Catholic University of America Address to the leaders of more than 200 Catholic colleges and superintendents from the 195 U.S. Catholic dioceses on the importance of Catholic education.
Apr. 17	6:30 p.m.	Pope John Paul II Cultural Center Meeting with Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, Jews and representatives from other religions.
Apr. 18	9:45 a.m.	Kennedy International Airport Arrives in New York. During his visit, the pope will stay at the East 72nd Street residence of Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the papal nuncio to the United Nations.
Apr. 18	10:45 a.m.	United Nations Gives address to the General Assembly, as did Pope Paul VI in 1965 and Pope John Paul II in 1979 and 1995.
Apr. 18	5:00 p.m.	Park East Synagogue Meets with Jewish clergy.
Apr. 18	6:00 p.m.	Church of St. Joseph Prayer service with leaders from other Christian denominations.
Apr. 19	9:15 a.m.	St. Patrick's Cathedral Mass for priests, deacons and members of religious orders.
Apr. 19	4:30 p.m.	St. Joseph's Seminary Meeting with young Catholics, including 50 with disabilities.
Apr. 20	9:30 a.m.	Lower Manhattan Visit to ground zero.
Apr. 20	2:30 p.m.	Yankee Stadium The pope offers Mass. The 200th anniversary of the Baltimore Archdiocese and the anniversaries of the Dioceses of Boston, New York, Louisville and Philadelphia will be celebrated.
Apr. 20	8:00 p.m.	Kennedy International Airport departure

A Minimalist Guide to Weekend Renewal: 6 Easy Ways to Recharge the Batteries

Photo by RickyDavid

My friend Gene lives like a rock star.  He travels the globe, working and playing and then blogging about it for all to enjoy.  There are others who test drive expensive cars or even jump out of airplanes. 

I'd like to suggest something a bit simpler this weekend. 

Weekend time can easily get swallowed up in errands, birthday parties for kids and house work.  Even for church-goers, weekend time can get absorbed in a myriad of programs and events.  The key, as usual, is to simplify. Here are some minimalist ideas for your Saturday and Sunday:

• Reintroduce yourself to a book.  Hard as it may seem, few of us actually sit down and read.  Why not look at your options and enjoy one chapter from a book?  It really is possible and with a cup of java on hand, the words will fly by your eyes with little to no effort. 
• Reclaim one space that was previously cluttered. As this is a minimalist guide to weekend renewal, I'm not talking about a whole-scale cleaning here, just a place that you can reclaim for another purpose.  If a guest bedroom is a dumping bin for junk, commit to repurposing it as your art studio or home office.  Maybe there is a corner of a room that isn't being used well- why not create a meditation corner?
• Capture a moment with nature. Don't just go for a walk but get in the car and find some inspiring piece of nature that you can enjoy.  Choose a park, a scenic overlook or even a courtyard within a museum.  Just sit and enjoy. 
• Start a new journal.  I like the .99 cent tablet journals and the simplicity of them works for me.  Choose something that fits your style and commit to writing in it each morning. 
• Reintroduce yourself to God.  Have a talk, share your feelings and spend some time with God this weekend.  Many people find that silence is difficult when they pray but if you see it as God's instrument, silence becomes a friend that you regularly spend time with.
• Create a simple night for your family.  Rent a movie, crank up the popcorn and get comfortable!  There are many simple and affordable things that you can do with your family that are just plain fun.

Sometimes I envy guys with a rock-star lifestyle, wondering why my Toyota Camry doesn't have racing stripes or a sub-woofer in place of a back seat.  Then, I shake myself out of it and appreciate all that I have.

Why it Might be Time for an Executive Retreat

Photo by Ratterrell

Today our staff will be on retreat.  Nothing fancy, just an opportunity to step back from the daily grind and think about our mission and objectives.  We do this 2-3 times per year and while some members of the staff get nervous about the idea of prayer, dialogue and reflection, it's always worth it.

Aficionados of Patrick Lencioni know that an executive retreat can benefit a team in several ways.  Retreats can:

• Create bonding. 
• Reveal personality.
• Promote reflection.
• Allow disagreement.
• Invite fun.
• Generate emotion.

While I don't believe that lives will be changed today as a result of our 3 hours on retreat, I do believe that our corporate culture is gradually shifting towards our overall mission.  Over time, our process of retreating allows staff members to be themselves, try new things and see issues from angles of coworkers whom they might not ordinarily interact with.   Maybe it's time your team got away for a day of retreat?

Resources for the Road
7 Deadly Sins of Executive Retreats
Executive Retreats Online
Seton Hall University: Executive Retreat Program

Thoughts from the Sabbath

I was at church yesterday for a marriage prep workshop (can't believe we were participants 9 years ago!) and picked up a helpful resource for folks who are trying to carve out a genuine day off each week.  The tips included:

• Reexamine busyness.  If you are trying to rest on the weekend but find your Monday-thru-Friday commitments creeping into Sunday, step back and evaluate the cost of these activities.
• Imagine a "snow day".  Think of Sabbath as if you were a kid and had a day off from school.  You slept late, poked around the house and spent time with your family.
• Set realistic goals. If a full day off doesn't seem doable now, aim for an afternoon of rest each weekend.  After a month, go for the whole day.

Source: Our Caring Church, www.carenotes.com