Mom, she's looking at me!

I'm getting ready for a trip to Florida. My youngest son gets married soon, in Florida, and I have the privilege of being there, along with several other family and friends. But as I'm getting organized and packing a few things early, memories of past vacations keep wandering through my mind. Memories that make me smile. Memories that remind me of times when life was full of chaos, but love ruled over the chaos and most of it was good.

When the kids were younger and all in school, we would take summer vacations. A family of six, packed in a suburban, driving to some location we'd "somewhat" all agreed upon. We tried to mix fun and education together. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. National parks, historical sites, and fishing trips in the woods of northern Minnesota. We even flew to San Diego once. I think my kids have some pretty good memories. I know I do.

One of my favorite things is when all four of my kids get together and start sharing stories. I love "remember when" when it comes from my kids! The funny thing is, they usually don't focus on the big stuff - they remember the little things. Cramming into a hotel room or a fish they caught. The car rides and the places we stopped at on our way to the Black Hills. Or the airport and the minivan we rented while we were in San Diego.

It was the little moments in time, along the journey, that bonded them together - that made an impact on their lives. An impact that engraved a memory that will last a lifetime. But what if we never made the journey? What if we had never spent 12 hours in the vehicle at a time? What if we had never flown to San Diego? What if we had never had a "wing it" trip and stopped where ever and whenever someone wanted to? What if...

Some will read this and think - if they only remember the small stuff, don't spend money on the big stuff. And they might be right. But if we never make the journey, how will we know?

Isn't our walk with Christ the same way?

We could stay in our comfort zone and we can still make memories and God can still touch our lives. We can go to church on Sunday, maybe a Bible study, socialize with our Christian friends and still be happy. Or maybe our happy is a satisfying job and weekends with friends and being curled up with a good book or movie on a Saturday night. We can keep doing our "normal" and life will be just fine. OR we can step outside our comfort zone and go on a journey. Move forward. Take steps into the unknown and see how God impacts our life. Listen to that still small voice that's been telling us to think outside the box.

That journey looks different for everyone. For the introvert, who keeps to herself, maybe it's inviting a neighbor for lunch. For the social bug that loves time with others and is always on the go, maybe it's spending more quiet time - more one on one time with Jesus. Or maybe you're a new believer or haven't totally committed your heart to the Lord. That initial journey is scary! Everything you do is outside your comfort zone! Even asking someone to pray with you is a step into the unknown.

And then there are those of us that feel like we have been on some really wild journeys. Journeys that took us to places that weren't even on the map. Some of those journeys just happened. But a handful of them, I had planned out. I made an itinerary, I mapped it out and even made reservations. But God doesn't normally work on the same timeline that I do, and He doesn't usually take the same path. And if I can't learn to listen and be flexible, then I'll totally miss out on all the "little moments" along the way.

And what about those little things... the memories and little moments of time that get engraved into our life that impact us along the way?

This blog is a testimony to the multitude of moments that have affected my life. Sure, I could list half a dozen life-changing events in my lifetime - everyone can. But those big events are not what come to mind when I'm sitting in the dark on one of my worst days. That's when God brings to mind the evening my son spent 2 hours sitting Indian-style on my bed giving me a pep talk because he caught me crying in my room. Or remembering the last "good day" my best friend had before she past away...dang, we laughed a lot that night!

I have met some amazing people on my journeys. People that changed my life. Not just churchy, Christian people, just people. And every one of them made an impact on me. God used them to steer my life in a particular direction to get me where I am today. He has given me moments and memories that would get me through tough times and strengthen me for the future. He blessed me with times of love and laughter to lighten the load. And He has filled my life with blessings so that I may pass my joy onto others.

And my journey is far from over. The only difference now is I've stopped planning. I don't have an itinerary, and I know better than to map out my path. I need to listen for that still small voice, I WANT to listen for that still small voice, and go where it may lead me.

I just never know what to pack!

Romans 14:7-9 ESV

For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.