Family and vacations and times for re-creation are all good and necessary. Still...worship shouldn't fall by the wayside just because we aren't on our 'regular' schedule.
Here are some ideas for ways to have some private devotion time even when you are on vacation or having a stay-cation, or even just finding the lazy, hazy days of summer are too tempting. (It's an old Nat King Cole song and I don't know why it popped into my head, but you can read the lyrics or listen to it below.)
An old standby is the Book of Common Prayer. The BCP has devotions for families and prayers for any and every occasion. If you have internet access on your vacation, you can access it at BCPonline.org. If you don't want to figure out the lessons and prayers, use the Daily Office from the Mission of St. Claire. They do all the work for you!
Maybe you have a favorite blog that inspires you. The Episcopal Church has a selection of blogs on a variety of topics that you can skim through and find inspiration and thought provoking ideas. The Forward Day by Day people have the daily meditation and other resources right there on their website, so if you forgot to bring you Forward booklet with you...there it it!
You can subscribe to many different devotions that are delivered to your inbox. Forward is one and here's another: d365. Lots of Christian magazines also have devotional portions on their website. Guideposts is one that has been around for generations!
There are other blogs that keep us up to date on things that are happening in the Episcopal and wider world, too. The Diocesan blog: Trusting in the Holy Spirit, is one that you will find interesting to check on a regular basis to see what's happening across the Diocese. (and this one of course!)
This is by no means a complete listing of all the resources available to us. If you have a favorite, share it in a comment, or email me and I'll add it to a future listing.
(Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer by Nat King Cole)
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer
Just fill your basket full of sandwiches and weenies
Then lock the house up, now you're set
And on the beach you'll see the girls in their bikinis
As cute as ever but they never get em wet
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
You'll wish that summer could always be here
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer
Don't hafta tell a girl and fella about a drive-in
Or some romantic moon it seems
Right from the moment that those lovers start arrivin'
You'll see more kissin' in the cars than on the screen
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
You'll wish that summer could always be here
You'll wish that summer could always be here
You'll wish that summer could always be here
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer
Just fill your basket full of sandwiches and weenies
Then lock the house up, now you're set
And on the beach you'll see the girls in their bikinis
As cute as ever but they never get em wet
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
You'll wish that summer could always be here
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer
Don't hafta tell a girl and fella about a drive-in
Or some romantic moon it seems
Right from the moment that those lovers start arrivin'
You'll see more kissin' in the cars than on the screen
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
You'll wish that summer could always be here
You'll wish that summer could always be here
You'll wish that summer could always be here