07/01/2025
July 2025
Time for a Sabbath Sojourn
Are you ready for a vacation?
The first half of 2025 has been “nose to the grindstone” for most of us. Our theme for 2025 in BNI (Business Network International) has been “Beyond” which means pushing beyond our fears and limitations to achieve something new and wonderful. We have been “Pulling out all of the stops”. My business colleagues and clients have had amazing breakthroughs and now it’s time to savor and celebrate our successes. As a coach, I know that it is imperative to take periodic breaks to refresh ourselves.
How have you gone “Beyond”?
I know the importance of rest, not just as a coach but because the concept of the Sabbath is rooted deeply in my culture and ancestry. The great theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel saw the Sabbath not just as a rest stop but as a “cathedral in time” away from our worries. Heschel said that The Sabbath is a time to reconnect with God, ourselves and our communities. This idea is so profound that I named my ranch in Buffalo, Missouri as “Sabbath Sojourn”. Sojourn means a temporary stay. I came up with the name because of the song “On the Other Shore” by Slim and the Supreme Angels. It is the theme song for Sabbath Sojourn because it talks about going to a place with no tears where “every day will be Sunday and Sabbath will have no end”. I wanted my property to be a Sabbath both for myself and for my guests.
Where is your Sabbath?
With the coming of July, I couldn’t help but reminisce about past vacations. My most cherished memory was our family vacation to Estes Park with some of my father’s business colleagues. I could sense that the adults were more carefree and relaxed. The anticipation grew as we sped down I-70 toward Colorado. That is one of the joys of a vacation, you have something to look forward to. This anticipatory savoring has been shown to boost wellbeing. Also, looking back, I long to recapture the carefree happiness of childhood. As a 10-year-old, I was only thinking about swimming and horseback riding in Estes Park; I knew nothing about bills, work and adult problems.
Don’t you want to escape back to that frame of mind?
As adults we really need to escape our everyday surroundings and demands and actually take a “sojourn”. I’ve noticed that as soon as I’m an hour outside of town that troubles start to fade into the distance. Even if you only take a day trip or a weekend, it’s necessary to have a change of scenery. It’s also restorative to indulge yourself and have a novel experience. I’ll never forget the time our family went to Cleveland to visit my father’s wealthy and successful friend Bill Miller at his estate called Roselawn. I was astounded by the stately house and in-ground pool! Mrs. Miller fixed me chocolate mint milkshakes every morning for breakfast. Try to create a unique experience for a friend or a family member. While I drank milkshakes and swan in the pool, the adults put problems on hold and enjoyed playing games and gardening.
What would be your adult version of having a chocolate mint milkshake for breakfast?
I know a very special couple who are planning a wonderful experience for their whole extended family. Robert and Keira Mitchell are hosting their family reunion, which they call “Cousin’s Camp,” at their compound in Nixa, Missouri. The Mitchells spend weeks planning this epic reunion which creates memories that will last a lifetime. They carefully select activities and menus to appeal to all the different age groups and personalities. Abraham Joshua Heschel himself would praise them for their effort to deepen the connections in their family.
What kind of reunion could you plan for your family?
Ivan Misner, founder of BNI, would also applaud Cousin’s Camp. Keira and Robert are having me facilitate a “Who’s in Your Room?” workshop for the family including teens and young adults. Who’s in Your Room? is Ivan Misner’s landmark blueprint to improve the relationship in your personal and business life. This process starts with identifying your values. Robert and Keira want their younger relatives to explore what they stand for in life. I am very grateful for this opportunity to teach the younger Mitchells how to identify priorities, set boundaries, and learn how to say no. I wish them a lifetime of happy relationships in their “rooms.”
What are you teaching your younger relatives?
If you don’t have a vacation or reunion planned yet, please take some time to draft your own Sabbath Sojourn. What I do on a getaway is make a deal with myself that I’m not going to think about work or problems. It helps to immerse yourself in nature. Water is always calming whether it is a pool, lake or ocean. Upbeat music and inspirational audiobooks are a must. Use the time to deepen relationships with family or friends. If you are at loose ends, stay at my country retreat, Sabbath Sojourn. Let the views of horses running in green fields take your mind back to the joy and simplicity of childhood.
https://evolve.com/vacation-rentals/us/mo/buffalo/462541?queryID=2c2f70dd5b526a4ad69f3561a0e8645d
https://evolve.com/vacation-rentals/us/mo/buffalo/462542?queryID=2c2f70dd5b526a4ad69f3561a0e8645d
