CrossWords - June 2008
FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK
THE TEN COMMANDANTS OF AN UN-HAPPY LIFE
If you are displaying
any of the symptoms mentioned in the above commandments, YOU NEED A VACATION!
But here in America, vacation time is too often seen as “Land of the
free, home of the brave, country with the fewest vacation days.”
Compared to almost every other country, Americans work longer and harder and
vacation the least. But before you get bent out of shape about
the inhumane ways of U.S. employers, know this: Your boss isn't obligated
to give you any vacation time. Why? Because the U.S. is one of the very few
industrialized countries where the government doesn't regulate benefits in
the private work sector.
Americans work two weeks longer than the work-till-you-drop Japanese, and
two months longer than the Germans, who sometimes receive up to 15 weeks paid
vacation each year, according to the Hay Group, a human resource consulting
firm. On average, European employees get four weeks of vacation. It would
take the typical American employee 15 years or longer to attain the same vacation
privileges. And as job-hopping becomes more common, fewer Americans ever qualify
for such extended vacations. Employers in certain European countries are required
to provide a cash "vacation bonus," equal to one-half to one month's
pay.
According to Hewitt Associates, the country with the most vacation days is
Denmark with 31, followed closely by Austria and Finland at 30 days, France
and Norway at 25 days, Germany at 24 days, Belgium, Ireland, the U.K., the
Netherlands and Switzerland each at 20 days. U.S. employees receive an average
of 9.6 paid vacation days after one year of service, 11.5 after two years,
13.8 after three years and 16.9 after five years, according to an employee
benefits survey from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
All this
leads to the fact that Americans don't know how to relax!
Although
our self-imposed "all work, no play" attitude doesn't necessarily
make us dull, it does make us tired, cranky and overworked. For many of today's
worker bees, the typical vacation is like a busman's holiday, on speed. American
workers are wage warriors who work when they relax. With cell phone, laptop,
pager, and email at the ready, there's no such thing as a vacation anymore.
When vacations are taken in the definitive sense, the trend is to take shorter
mini-vacations or to cram a would-be leisurely trip into several days. Many
settle for long weekends and "pseudo-vacations" that involve such
restful activities as visiting relatives or fixing things around the house.
Or there are always the vacations that mean working from home instead of the
office, using such long-distance communication devices as e-mail, cell phones
and pagers.
To battle "vacation deficit disorder,” we need to take the time
given to recharge, renew and re-energize our minds, bodies and spirits. As
our church switches into our Summer Worship schedule, remember that your Spiritual
health needs to be nourished during your vacation time as well. Don’t
be a stranger to your church during the summer months. We are making plans
to hold some Sunday School programs during the summer and our worship will
take on a less formal tone, but still be available for your spiritual vacation
fix!
In His Name,
RB
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2008
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