We’re in town for a week before heading out for a final vacation (next week) with my parents and one of my brothers and his family. This had been a strange summer, filled with work requirements (Vicki’s 3-weeks at Drew for her doctoral studies, my week of CE and our sermon retreat).

Of course, the week before a trip is always packed with preps not only for the trip, but make-up work for the work you’re going to miss while you’re away (presumably resting and having fun).

America is the place where having fun is down to a science.

Truth is, I’ll be glad for the structure and predictability that comes with fall. All of our kids are making big school moves, which will be exciting to watch. Skyline is an exciting church community to be a part of. So many things start back up on the fall, it always feels to me like a renewal, in spite of the growing decay that marks the season.

At least it’s pretty.

So I’m ready for fall, and the passing of another summer. I’m ready to see old friends again after a vacation-saturated hiatus. And I’m ready for a little less freedom.

Yeah, you heard that right. A great deal of freedom begins to oppress me in a way that responsibility and expectations of others ever could. Enough with the holding pattern (the patternless holding) and the tyranny of anything goes. Let’s get with it.