I AM sure that many of you will be looking forward to fast approaching summer holidays.. as you read this, some of you may even have started packing!

Some of you may well be looking to take a break later in the year.

Many of us like to plan our holidays in detail, while others like to go with the flow. Many people like to visit new and exciting places, whilst others enjoy rest and relaxation on a sun-kissed beach.

Some of us like to make sure that everything is booked well in advance, while some like to wait for the bargains that often come with last minute deals, although that can be a bit of an exciting rollercoaster in itself!

In recent years, we have come to hear of the “Staycation” or “Holistay”, with people enjoying time-off at home with family and friends and some planned day trips included. 

However we like to plan your holidays and whatever our destination, many of us will be looking forward to a well-earned break... a time to relax and recharge our batteries. 

We all need refreshment and time to relax especially as we lead increasingly busy lives.

In a world which tries to live life at a fast pace, it is vital that we take time for rest and relaxation to nurture ourselves.

Holidays give us an opportunity to just be and not to have to worry about things. They give us a change to our daily routines... remembering the old saying that a change is as good as a rest.

Not only that, but holidays offer us the opportunity to discover unfamiliar places, or to reconnect with familiar places, and this can be exciting.

Holidays also offer us the opportunity to spend time with friends and family and to foster those important relationships.

Holidays also enable us to broaden our horizons as we discover unfamiliar cultures with their customs and traditions. 

And there is a scriptural precedent for taking time out too! On a number of occasions, the Gospels mention that Jesus withdrew from the crowds.

We are also told that on some occasions he spent time alone with his disciples. This was so that he could nurture his relationship with his followers and so that he would be more effective in his ministry.

Like us, Jesus needed to take time and space in which to rest and relax. He needed to do this so that he could give himself more fully to others. 

Holidays, therefore, offer us the opportunity to nurture ourselves and to nurture our relationship with family and friends and this is vital to our wellbeing.

If we are to give of ourselves fully, then at times we also need to learn to take rest and relax. We also need to nurture ourselves.

Maybe we need to encourage our family and friends to take time out for a refreshing break too. 

So, whether it is Tenby or Tenerife, or Bournemouth or The Bahamas this year, do have restful refreshing and enjoyable holidays!

The Rev Preb Matthew Tregenza

Rector of Holy Cross, Crediton