.walking.

***an interlude in our love story about what God is teaching me*** Here, in America, we live our lives running. We have a list of chores, tasks, meetings, functions, coffee dates, Bible studies, etc. Every single day has a schedule – a plan to go by and if the things planned for that day don’t get done, we stress out because they bleed into the next day’s plan. Here’s what I discovered while walking today… you see SO many things that you miss when you’re running. I used to live in the neighborhood I walked in today. I ran these sidewalks numerous times. I saw things today that I’ve never noticed… lizards – hundreds of tiny lizards darting across the sidewalk out of my way, pathways – (even shortcuts to my own former residence!?!?!), smells of the blooming flowers as I walked past them and the colors, oh my soul, the colors.

Here’s the thing, I think that God was teaching me something as I walked with him today. I live my life at such a fast pace with my to-do lists scheduled to the minute. And you know what? Life isn’t going to get any slower-paced. Marriage has already increased the tasks on my list everyday as I strive to love and serve my husband well and I can only imagine what children will do to my to-do list when they come along. I get stressed even thinking about it. Walking is a choice. Slowing down enough to see what’s around you, to be in the presence of God, to listen for His still, small voice, to ask him what HE might have for you to do today that might not be part of your agenda – these are things we have to CHOOSE. He doesn’t make us puppets, he allows us to choose and I think my lesson today and my “take home” from choosing to spend time with Him is that I need it more. I need to walk more, I need to slow down more, I need to pay attention more. And you know what? It’s going to be hard, but it’s going to be worth it. So what if I miss a day at the gym to have coffee with a college student? So what if the laundry doesn’t get done today & my husband has to wear his least-dirty pair of scrubs to work because I needed solitude and more of Jesus? So what if the dishes sit overnight in the sink because a card game or a great conversation was more important? So what?!?!? So the world doesn’t fall apart and those relationships were 100% worth every “sacrificed” task.

So I’m committing today to living a life at a walking pace because it’s important and I’m choosing to place value in all that matters – my relationship with God and my relationships with people. Two of the phrases my grandpa used most often were, “slow down” and “take it easy”. When I thought about someone who lived life at a walking pace and made time for what was important, he was the first person that came to mind. He was also the person in my life who loved me unconditionally and was most like Jesus. Coincidence? I think not.