I’m home!

Augh, it feels good to be back. I’ve always maintained that when you are ready and eager to get home to friends and loved ones by the end of any trip, your vacation was a success. Ours was totally wonderful – a perfect melody of laying in the sun, reading, eating yummy dinners together, walking on the beach, playing in the sand with the little ones, games, Coronas, sleeping in. On Friday, I woke up to use the restroom right as the sun was rising. With sleep fresh on my face, I threw my hair into a messy bun and hurried my behind out to the Atlantic. Our house was a five minute walk from beach access. I sat in the sand in my long sleeve IU shirt and watched as the sky painted itself with a blend of golds and burnt oranges. In a world where we plan, plan, plan – EVEN on vacation! – I slowed down. It’s hard for me to do sometimes. I like to be on the go. I like to be busy. I like to know what is coming next. Six months from now,  I’ll look back on that morning with a smile on my face.  I’m always grateful for a moment to slow way down and really take life in. It’s a struggle some days, but I’m working on being better at this every day.

A few thoughts at random:

I love my perfectly dysfunctional family more than ever. That’s for sure.

My little nephew has so much life in him at 14 months. Watch out, world! Noah’s comin’ for ya! (And for your extra dose of cuteness today – he’s now performing High 1′s and High 5′s!)

My skin only burned painfully in one spot – my right knee. I have no idea how I managed to accomplish this.

I finished my most recent read, Love Does, towards the end of our week at the beach. Wanted to share a small bit (it’s at the end of this post) with you guys that really struck a chord in me. Hope it does the same for you! Also, please excuse my scanning skills attempts. I allowed myself to bring one camera – my instax- and my patience for scanning polaroids this morning was a bit low. I suppose you could say my mind is more concerned with getting out for my run to burn off all of those calories I racked up eating turtles on vacation. Yep – turtles.

Of course that’s my darling nephew, Noah, on the left and his PRECIOUS!!! cousin, Nell, on the right. What a sweetheart she is! We love little Nelly Belly!

Those three on the left are my 3 older siblings. From left – Dave, Colin and B. I love em’! And I’m so happy Scooter, the handsome shitzu poodle on the right, was able to join us and protect the world each day by digging at the foam the ocean washed up with it’s big waves. Such a thoughtful man – that Scooter!

 

Let me tell you what I do when I don’t know what to do to move my dreams down the road. I usually just try to figure out what the next step is and then do that. I know it sounds too simple, too formulaic; it seems like must be more to it. But there isn’t. For most of us that next step is as easy as picking up the phone, sending an e-mail, writing a letter, buying a plane ticket, or just showing up. After that, things start happening. Things that perhaps have God’s fingerprints on them. You’ll know which ones do and which ones don’t. Pick the ones that do.

What’s your next step? I don’t know for sure, because for everyone it’s different, but I bet it involves choosing something that already lights you up. Something you already think it beautiful or lasting and meaningful. Pick something you aren’t just able to do; instead, pick something you feel like you were made to do and then do lots of that. You weren’t just an incredible idea that God never got around to making. The next step happened for the world when God dropped you on the planet. You’re here and I’m here. God decided to have us interesect history, not at just any time, but at this time. He made us to be good at a few things and bad at a couple others. He made us to love some things and not like others. Most of all, He made us to dream. We were meant to dream a lot. We’re not just a cosmic biology experiment that ended up working. We’re part of God’s much bigger plan for the whole world. Just like God’s Son arrived here, do did you. And after Jesus arrived, God whispered to all of humanity … “It’s your move.” Heaven’s been leaning over the rails in the same way ever since you got here, waiting to see what you’ll do with your life.

Bob Goff – Love Does

 

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