I have noticed that the more open I am to whatever situation God brings before me the more unique and surprising things I get to experience. As stated before, I am an organized, super-planner. In a perfect world, things would be scheduled – there’d even be an hour a day for spontaneity, or so I would have told you before God took me on a journey of the now. While I don’t believe in living for the moment, I do believe in living in the moment. There is a difference? Well, yes. The difference is that the former one never thinks of the future and the latter keeps it always in mind while making decisions for the now. God has been teaching me so much about taking advantage of every moment I am given... Which leads to living a life that seems very spontaneous and yet is more planned than anything I could organize.
Life has been running full speed ahead and I felt like I needed a break. So I ran away… I left town and went to see someone who always helps to refresh me. I drove down to see a dear friend of mine, on Friday. I had the privilege of serving on the mission field with her and our relationship is one centered around our individual relationships with Christ. It was so wonderful to sit and talk for hours and remember when my life was far more focused than it is now. I used to be aware that every moment was to be lived with purpose. Each moment is a moment to serve and minister. That no relationship is a comfortable one. We never get to be on vacation. Vacation is itself a new opportunity to share the love of Christ. So I spent hours remembering all that God had taught me and being excited and disappointed again in where each of us has ended up. It is always refreshing to walk with someone who will correct you when you are wrong and whom you can correct and there is only love – the love of Christ - that conveys that correction in such a way that you are encouraged and not condemned. You are inspired by the message of Christ, lived out in the life of your friend.
So after being much refreshed and rejuvenated, I prepared to leave for home. But first a quick errand. I needed to drop off a gift for a friend. It was to be a surprise, his sister was going to meet me to get it. But of course, God intervenes. She called to say she wasn’t going to be home before I needed to be on the road. So she called her parents and I went to drop it off at their house. When I arrived, two of the most charmingly kind people invited me in, so I went in to chat for a few moments before I got on the road. Who knew that I would get to sit and talk with a pair of wonderfully kind and fun people for such a length of time as I did? Certainly not I. I love getting to talk to people for the first time when the topic isn’t the weather. Do you know what I mean? When you sit and actually have a real conversation about life in general and life specific. I couldn’t tell you everything we talked about (and if I could, I wouldn’t) but I really enjoyed getting to know this charming family in a way you only can when you spend time talking to the heart and soul of a family (the parents). When you hear their hopes and fears and joys and tears in-between the stories and words that they say. People truly fascinate me and I can honestly say I hated to have to leave when I did. I really appreciated their letting me trespass upon their hospitality for as long as they did. There is so much wisdom and such a perspective to be gained when you sit and talk to people who are older and more experienced in life than you are. So if you haven’t tried it lately, I challenge you to find someone and just sit and listen to them talk about whatever is in their hearts. You just may find that it will teach you how to pray for them, and it will teach you how to pray for yourself.
Life has been running full speed ahead and I felt like I needed a break. So I ran away… I left town and went to see someone who always helps to refresh me. I drove down to see a dear friend of mine, on Friday. I had the privilege of serving on the mission field with her and our relationship is one centered around our individual relationships with Christ. It was so wonderful to sit and talk for hours and remember when my life was far more focused than it is now. I used to be aware that every moment was to be lived with purpose. Each moment is a moment to serve and minister. That no relationship is a comfortable one. We never get to be on vacation. Vacation is itself a new opportunity to share the love of Christ. So I spent hours remembering all that God had taught me and being excited and disappointed again in where each of us has ended up. It is always refreshing to walk with someone who will correct you when you are wrong and whom you can correct and there is only love – the love of Christ - that conveys that correction in such a way that you are encouraged and not condemned. You are inspired by the message of Christ, lived out in the life of your friend.
So after being much refreshed and rejuvenated, I prepared to leave for home. But first a quick errand. I needed to drop off a gift for a friend. It was to be a surprise, his sister was going to meet me to get it. But of course, God intervenes. She called to say she wasn’t going to be home before I needed to be on the road. So she called her parents and I went to drop it off at their house. When I arrived, two of the most charmingly kind people invited me in, so I went in to chat for a few moments before I got on the road. Who knew that I would get to sit and talk with a pair of wonderfully kind and fun people for such a length of time as I did? Certainly not I. I love getting to talk to people for the first time when the topic isn’t the weather. Do you know what I mean? When you sit and actually have a real conversation about life in general and life specific. I couldn’t tell you everything we talked about (and if I could, I wouldn’t) but I really enjoyed getting to know this charming family in a way you only can when you spend time talking to the heart and soul of a family (the parents). When you hear their hopes and fears and joys and tears in-between the stories and words that they say. People truly fascinate me and I can honestly say I hated to have to leave when I did. I really appreciated their letting me trespass upon their hospitality for as long as they did. There is so much wisdom and such a perspective to be gained when you sit and talk to people who are older and more experienced in life than you are. So if you haven’t tried it lately, I challenge you to find someone and just sit and listen to them talk about whatever is in their hearts. You just may find that it will teach you how to pray for them, and it will teach you how to pray for yourself.
No comments:
Post a Comment