A lovely weekend in Jackson Hole. I’m proud to say it was a date! New Years Resolution number 18: Make time for dating—check.  We made stoves out of Diet Coke cans, and used them to boil water to make Cup of Noodles for lunch. We saw beautiful elk, we went to a fabulous concert, and checked out an art museum.  A great weekend. I missed church, though. Vacation Sundays are hard. I know some people, and I admire them, who never miss a day of church, even on Vacation Sundays. Others hit up Sacrament meeting, but miss the other two meetings. Some just try to keep the Sabbath day holy and not purchase food or gas. Other simply say: “Hey! It’s vacation Sunday! Whaddayado?” What do you do on vacation Sundays? Anything you feel we should do, or not do? Anything you’ve seen others do that you appreciate? For this Vacation Sunday we tried to keep a good vibe. No church. No major purchases minus gas. But it was a calm, lovely drive through the mountains of Wyoming and Idaho. I was more aware of my attitude and gratitude for God’s creations—His mountains, and streams, and even the snow. (That’s stretching it for me—snow and I have a difficult relationship.)

I had to work on Sunday’s when I was a television reporter. I would sneak out of the station and try to make it to sacrament meeting. It wouldn’t always work. But I definitely learned I missed church, and the regular schedule of meetings, and arriving home after the meetings and eating dinner with those I loved, or reading my scriptures. But in addition to missing church, I also learned that it was easy to get out of the habit of going regularly to church, and it was hard for me to get back into the groove once I no longer worked, and had Sundays to myself once again.

Sometimes I wonder if with Vacation Sundays it’s the same thing. That although I have the attitude of : “Hey! It’s vay-cay time!” I wonder what I may be missing out on if I were one of those people who made sure to never miss, Vacation Sunday or not.  Being single, and older, it’s easier to miss church. At the same time, I also realize how difficult it is to miss church when all is said and done. I think it’s a resolution I want to add. Resolution # 24: Attend church … even on Vacation Sundays, or when I  have a headache. Let’s see what difference it makes in 2012.

Does anyone have any experience in this? A small step to attend church even when it was difficult? Did it change your attitude or happiness? If so, I’d love to hear.

Until then,

Ex Vacation Church Skipper,

Lauren