Ahh, the family road trip. The bad news is that you’ll have fights over the window seat, complaints about how long it’s taking, constant reminders that somebody has to pee—and that’s just the first hour! But the good news is that you have each other’s undivided attention. With that in mind, resist the temptation to “take a break” from God when you’re on vacation. It’s probably one of the best times to nurture faith because your family is relaxed and has all the time in the world to reflect and wonder together. Here are some tips for making the most of that time:
• Make music. While the silence that a van full of iPods provides may be priceless, don’t miss the opportunity to listen—and sing!—together. Set aside some time to listen to music that glorifies God. Give everyone the opportunity to request both a silly song and a song from church that you can belt out together.
• Point out the “God-prints” you find around you. My husband is big on clouds and trees and sunsets. He points them out to the kids, saying, “How does God do that? It’s amazing!” Sometimes the kids respond, sometimes they just roll their eyes, but that’s okay—we’re training them to be God-print seekers too.
• Bring a story Bible. Pack a story Bible and let your child pick favorite stories to read (David and Goliath five nights in a row is okay).
• Make your own devotionals. Get a dollar-store notebook. Set aside a page for each day and add a “God Connection,” such as, “Things I saw today that reminded me of God,” “Thank you God for . . .”, “I’m so glad God gave us . . .” and so on. Look at that day’s heading in the morning and set aside time at the end of the day to add pictures or words to the page. Tip: Insert completed devotional pages into a photo album of your trip so those connections become part of family history.
If you make an effort to take God with you on vacation, you’ll find that the rewards are many, and the experiences are priceless.
Karen DeBoer is an early childhood educator and a curriculum editor who's been involved in children's ministry for more than 25 years. She and her husband, Ron, are the parents of four girls.
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