Today's the Day

We spent the day with our girls out of town on my weekly day off. It's a trip we had talked about a couple of months ago and intentionally scheduled for today . We went tubing down a river, had a picnic lunch, walked around a town while window shopping, took photo booth pictures, and listened to music while playing car games on the way home. It was a perfectly timed day spent with the four most important ladies in my life and one I desperately needed.

Time with family is essential to my health and while I value the small daily and weekly interactions, these trips are very important as well. I've just got to make sure to plan them out so they happen more frequently for all of us to enjoy. I wouldn't have traded anything for today and the reminders of what matters most. Even the small memories we make have tremendous value.

An Act of Control

I ran 5 miles today. I hesitate to share since it feels like boasting. It's simply a statement of what I did at the end of my day. I planned this run earlier in the week knowing I would need it. In fact, I looked forward to it all day long.

There are many, many things I cannot control. Even with detailed planning, intentional goals, careful thought, and dedicated prayers there will be unpredictable events. This really isn't new information for me, but there are some seasons in life where it seems more evident than others. I don't have any easy answers to this dilemma but to schedule some things I can control, like a run.

We won't always know what we are going to encounter and or be able to change everything we will deal with. We can find some balance by doing some intentional things that help us stay grounded even if it's only in something small.

Inexpressible

There are times when I am unsure how to communicate. My emotions and thoughts become a tangled web and it is increasingly difficult to express them clearly. There isn't one specific cause for this confusion, but a combination of daily pressures, unforeseen circumstances, difficult obstacles, and even tragedy add to this dilemma. They create a muddled mess of unsure thoughts and feelings that can't be sorted out by thinking or trying harder. In these times what I need most is peace. Creating time to calm my anxious thoughts, regain my equilibrium, and be at rest is vital. After a time of peace I can sort through these messages and reestablish my footing.

It's an unexpected twist to discover the key to regaining my ability to clearly communicate is found in being quiet first.

Learn to Share

This week we had some issues with our van and weren't quite sure how we were going to get everyone to all the places they needed to be while having it worked on at the same time. Fortunately, one of our close friends was able to let us borrow their car for a couple of days until we could get things sorted out. After returning their vehicle and thanking them for their kindness, my friend responded that they were glad they were able to help us out. My quick response back to him was, "So were we!"

There is a verse of wisdom in the book of Proverbs which says, "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act." It speaks to our need to make a difference when we have the ability to help. This could be any number of things: financial help, mowing a lawn, delivering dinner, helping someone move, loaning out our car, or simply listening. This is a powerful part of active, caring community when we are willing to help each other with what is within our power to share.

Mile Markers

I like to travel and be in exciting places, but the actual journey isn’t always the most thrilling. This is especially true when you are stuck in slow moving traffic. The most frustrating times are when things slow down for no apparent reason. You may inch along the interstate for 30 minutes and then suddenly everything is back up to speed without any visible cause. This doesn’t even begin to address my frustration with slow drivers (I know—I have issues) and the way they impede my forward progress. Even with smooth moving traffic, I get bored on a long trip if the scenery doesn’t change. It seems as if I won’t ever arrive at my destination, even though mile markers along the way let me know I am getting closer to where I want to go.

I need to make sure there are some of these mile markers in my life as well. The journey of growth and progress I’m on don’t always move forward at the pace I want. Sometimes it feels as if my progress is impeded and I can’t always see the cause. In other times the routine of travel becomes a bit ordinary and makes the journey feel even longer. Perhaps the key is to keep those mile markers close by—short term goals and ways to measure progress that let me know I’m moving forward. I’ve got to set these for each area of my life if I want to be encouraged on the journey. These small markers help me to realize I am making progress even when the destination seems far away.

Digging Deep

I helped to remove a palm tree from my grandfather’s house many years ago. The tree had been cut down, but the root was still there. It kept sprouting and my grandparents wanted it removed. I didn’t think it would take too long since it only had 4-5 inches of green growth above ground. It quickly became apparent this was a bigger task than I originally thought. The roots were much deeper than I anticipated and had spread out in a 5 foot circumference. It was a task that took a lot of sweat, energy, and more than a little frustration before I finished.

Changing our thinking can be equally as challenging. Once we have established a perception or a pattern it’s difficult to alter it. We might believe it’s easily remedied, but without extra effort we won’t completely eradicate negative habits. Are we willing to dig deep to discover the root of our thinking? Will we put in the extra effort to remove negative thoughts and patterns? It is a process of growth which requires consistent effort, but it’s essential if we want to have a healthier mind and spirit.

All Around Me

One of the regular parts of my week involves sitting at Chick-Fil-a on Saturday waiting for daughter to get off work. I show up about an hour before she's done, order a cup of coffee, and write while waiting. I enjoy the change of place and pace as I find it refreshing. Some people (my wife included) might find it distracting to attempt to develop creative thoughts in a crowded place. I actually enjoy hearing the people around me and the uniqueness of the thought of all of us ending up together in this time and place.

This place is usually quite busy on a Saturday afternoon and there are wide varieties in the groups of people here. There are older couples out for ice cream, families with young children looking to escape the heat and enjoy the playground, travel baseball & softball teams grabbing post-game meals, and others grabbing a late lunch. While I'm here writing there is a constant buzz of life around me in its different stages. Knowing that I am one life sharing this mundane moment is one of my favorite parts of being here.

How often do we stop to pay attention to the lives moving around us? I think too often it's like floating on the top of the ocean without any clue of the life that fills the water beneath us. We can pretend it's not there, but we are denying ourselves the beauty of sharing in it unless we are willing to get beyond the surface.