For your consideration…
Both kids and parents can relate to the “road trip.” Northern Michigan is stunningly beautiful. There are lots of things to do. There is a slower pace to life there. Yet, I rarely make the trip up there. I like road trips so what is my problem?
We grew up pretty poor. My mom and stepdad put on a good show but there was little disposable income. I only remember a handful of times going out to dinner. The only vacation we got was going “up north” and visiting my aunt and uncle. Don’t get me wrong. It was lots of fun…once we got there. The drive up was horrible. Both parents were smokers. They smoked with the windows up virtually all of the time unless it was very warm out. It was miserable. Naturally, we were just like the above picture constantly asking, “Are we there yet?” or “How much farther?” Consequently, my mental model…unreasonable as it is…is that I don’t want to drive “up north.” This is completely unreasonable because I look forward to road trips to Florida, Tennessee, Colorado, Califonia…anywhere but up north.
Today’s message asks us to consider distance and life purpose. Why does the same distance seem so far away sometimes and close or not that far away other times? We can look to children on a road trip and get an idea of the why. Children have no concept of distance, how far something is. And they have no control on getting there. What seemed so far away as children may not seem so far away as an adult because we have control over our timing. We understand time and distance and we know how to “chunk it out.” We recognize markers along our trip that tick off the miles we have passed.
Translate that to life purpose. Our life purpose may seem distant. It may seem out of control. That is because we don’t fully understand it. We don’t have the complete map. But we don’t have to keep feeling this way. We CAN map out where we are right now and our next step. We can assume control of that. Before we know it, we can look back and see all of the steps we have already completed. We can see a long road already behind us.
“Are we there yet? No, but we don’t need to be. We just have to go step by step, mile by mile.
That is the HOPE. And so it is.
Bit by bit, piece by piece, HOPE by HOPE action steps anyone can take…
-Affirm…“I am loved.”
-Meditate/pray…ask…”What is my next step for my highest good and the highest good of all?”
-Drink lots of water.
-Get outdoors and take in at least 10 deep breaths.
-Take life step by step. Map it out as best you can and trust that an updated map will be provided exactly when you need it.
What made me smile yesterday…
-A walk with Jul.
-Catching up with Cathy and Jackie.
-I started bringing up some Christmas decorations…a few at a time…step by step.
-A good book.
Love, Blessings, and Gratitude,
Rev. Chris
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