Two weeks! TWO WEEKS! 

 Two weeks today I will be in the happiest place on earth .. yeah, that’s right – Disney World. Disney has a super close place in my heart. 

When we started in ministry we did 5 years with a church that we absolutely loved. I was a children’s pastor and my husband had a full time job outside of the home. I loved my job and everything that came along with it. Ministry was in my wheelhouse. I absolutely loved every minute of everything that I did. Then we added two more kids … and eventually came to the point where my husband was trying to plant a church and I was still on staff at our parent church and we were going in two different directions at all times. 

Enter burn out. 

When we took a year sabbatical we realized that we had not taken vacations like we should have in almost  5 years. Sure we did some here and there, but as a whole being someone who constantly pours out … we weren’t being poured into. We never rested – there was kingdom work to do after all. 

Take the time off. Take vacations. Take time to rest. Burn out is real. Burn out sucks. 

Let’s back track to Disney … 

My husband proposed to me on December 25, 2010 in Mary Poppins Garden at the Grand Floridian in Disney World. Talk about magical. I had no clue it was even coming – we ate dinner at 1900 Park Fare with Prince Charming and Cinderella and the whole crew. Following dinner my husband said he wanted to “take pictures” in Mary Poppins gardens and under a balcony full of people waiting for the monorail on Christmas Night my husband proposed with a fake ring – I told him I hated him – and then turned around to the most perfect ring ever …. Needless to say the answer was yes. 

Fast forward to January of 2012 and we were married on the Disney Dream cruise ship. The captain of our ship married us while we were docked in Nassau, Bahamas. I was treated like a princess as people gasped as I walked through the ship in my wedding dress. Dream. Wedding. Seriously. 

And I mean we got a picture with Jack Sparrow … sooo ….

Followed by a week long vacation in Disney World …. Disney is just who we are. It’s what we are. So we decided it made sense for us to buy into Disney Vacation Club (because if we are paying for it we will use it). Now we take one or two trips a year to Disney World, we take friends and family (and I get to be the totally cool aunt who takes her nieces and nephews to Disney World). 

Our first big trip after N was implanted was to Disney world where she was treated so well. Everyone celebrated with us. We didn’t expect much besides an awesome trip to the place we love but she was given treats – Donald celebrated with us – princesses cheered – cast members applauded. The magic was so very much alive. 

H, my baby, took her very first steps in June of 2019 her first trip to Disney world at Animal Kingdom Lodge while waiting for the bus. 

T, my middle girl, conquered her fear of well everything by getting out there, meeting the characters, and being treated like the princess she is. 

Currently I’m a bivocational co-lead pastor – Im a lead pastor and a preschool director and a beauty influencer with Farmasi, and a mom and a wife and and and …  All of the jobs take a huge toll. It’s loving on people, encouraging people, working with people … it takes a lot out of a person. When all of a sudden I begin to realize I’m dreading work. I want to be home and no where else. I’m getting short tempered with my husband, my kids, my friends …. It’s time for a trip. 

Do you need to go to Disney World? Absolutely not. But please hear me out – pastor or not, work two full time jobs or not. Burn out is real. Take the time for yourself. Rest. Recharge. Rejuvenate. Don’t think it’s being selfish to take time for yourself. Self care is important and will look different to every person. Maybe it’s taking an hour every week to do something alone that you love. A vacation every six months. Reading a book to escape the world. You’re not being a bad mom or a bad person by taking time to take care of you.