I love nature! I
really do! I don’t love it when it’s too hot, too cold, or too buggy. Otherwise
I absolutely love being outside. Many of you know that my back porch is my
oasis with a good book, a cup of coffee, or a glass of wine. I prefer a walking
trail to the treadmill, and though it may be 90 degrees, I will have my roof
open and windows down just to feel the wind.
This morning I went
for a long walk at the greenway and had many reflections. Some were shallow
simple reflections while others were somewhat deep. I often skip taking my
phone and the music when I go to the greenway because the birds, crickets, the
stream, and “Good mornings!” are a harmonious symphony to me to which nothing
else compares. I also seem to smell the wildflowers and honeysuckle a little
better.
Some of my simpler
reflections were things such as:
- If you aren't feeling particularly social or happy, go to the greenway. Most everyone will smile and bid you a good morning J.
- No one cares what you look like; whether or not you have on make-up, a sloppy bun, whether or not you have the thigh-gap (who really has this? And those of us who don’t are *that* much closer to being a mermaid… and who doesn’t want to be a mermaid? We win!).
- Everyone is there for themselves; to be in touch with themselves or with nature, or God. No one is there to judge you.
- You shouldn’t forget your water. You may become cranky. Just sayin’.
- The greenway should smell like nature; grass and wildflowers and perhaps faintly of Tide or Downy due to clean clothes, but never like heavy perfume or cologne (ok that was a small rant).
- Although I still have a quick pace, I walk more than I run now. Sometimes I do both but when I walk I can take in more nature and enjoy more. When women run past me I secretly cheer them on with a “You go girl!” because I know it’s not easy.
- Coconut oil makes a great, lightly scented body moisturizer/natural spf. :) Really.
Because
my brain works the way it does (and thank God he knows it, made me this way,
and has a great sense of humor so He just rolls with me on this) I ended up
thinking about how far I’ve come (and yes, how far I have to go) with letting
things go. I am not a control freak about things per se. I am actually pretty
laid back about most things. Where I AM a control freak is in thinking about
things and trying to “figure them out and make them make sense” when sometimes
things are just simply nonsensical. I don’t like that. I don’t like it at all.
I have been known to say “It’s just magic” if something doesn’t fit quiet right
into my thinking because even magic is something and makes more sense than not
making sense. Did that make sense? It did in my head.
Anyway, I had sort of an epiphany and my
epiphanies seem to be long and drawn out, so I’ve been facing this one for a
while (dear friends of mine will have to remind me of it in a month or two because
I often forget them as well), but here it is: It isn’t our job to make sense of
everything. Are you wowed? You should be wowed. My close friends are saying “By
George, I think she’s got it!” For me to come to accept this is remarkable. Deep
thinking is what I have done since birth and will continue to do, and figuring
things out is something I've always done well. I think that’s what makes me love
my job and very good at my job, but it has also made me and others close to me
absolutely insane at times. It has cost me friendships and relationships and
many sleepless nights and a lot of laughter. Why? Because our creator did not
put me or anyone else here to figure it all out. (Insert “BAM”)
I tell Liam and Mary Abbott often, “It’s
my job to be your mom. I’m here to make sure you are fed, clothed, educated,
etc.” I realize that God made me on
purpose. He made *us* on purpose and it is His job to take care of us. It is
HIS job to figure everything out. My
sister has a little girl going through her “terrible twos” (I didn't have the
heart to tell her it goes on until 3 or 4) but I think we do that to God throughout our entire life. We try to fix things, maneuver things, manipulate
things to get what we want and as we lay exhausted on the floor at our worst,
after having yet another temper tantrum our Father picks us up and holds us
close and asks, “Are you finished? Now hand me your life, all of it, and I’ll
take care of it. I created it and I know how to fix it.” We, as His children
have to hand it to Him. All of it. Most of us have had a child bring us
something to fix but they have refused to let it go. We can’t fix what they won’t
let go. Neither can He. We must face that we can’t do it. Not that we can’t do
it alone, but dear God we can’t do it. Period. He does.
A dear and wonderful man spoke at church
yesterday and he kept saying that he refused for years to give God credit for
all the opportunities that He had placed in front of him. I think we so often
cruise along in life forgetting these things. Maybe that’s when we unplug,
leave the music at home, take a long walk and simply thank Him for having it
figured out for us. Thank Him that we don’t have to because God knows most of
us can’t make sense of things anyway.
So, take a walk, smile at people, say “good
morning”, and wear God on your face. Take your water bottle… it’s warm out
there. And don’t think too much. It’s not your job.
Happily,
Becky
July 7, 2014
*Photo: Madison, AL Official Website
http://www.ci.madison.al.us/index.aspx?NID=681
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