I’ve been away, AWOL for several weeks after our extended family enjoyed a week at Carolina Beach just beyond Wilmington, NC and just before school started for our three grandchildren.
Here’s the first of a three part series focused on a parallel path on the pursuit of life.
Vacations, if done properly, interrupt life in the way it was meant to be interrupted. Getting away extends to us a real chance to “get away”! Getting away allows some much needed space that gives us permission to just be present and once we do so, we can reconnect with ourselves in ways that begin to remind us that there is a pace to life we had lost touch with. We engage this opportunity when we stop, slow down, rethink and allow our lives to be renewed. On this vacation I finally took the time to do just that.
I know the worst thing about vacation is that it has to end. But if we look closely at how we experience a vacation, perhaps we can locate the clues to living a more meaning filled life back home. If we can relax and be present to ourselves, our family and friends, and to our God, the source and resource for living life away from home then we could surely also do so once we’re back home.
Okay, so it’s September and we’re months away from another vacay! But, today or tomorrow, this week and throughout this month nothing is keeping us from installing a new pace to our lives.
In order to change our pace we’ll need to change pieces of our space. Each week allots us 7 days and each day allots us 24 hours. Try this at least once this week; set aside one hour to rethink your space which may look like this:
- STOP – meaning, be present to being, not so much to doing. To stop is to begin. You are undoubtedly a great person to be with so this should be easy, right?
- SLOW DOWN – meaning that if you stop, you’re not in forward motion. Slowing down is the first thing that stopping does for all of us. Feels weird, but you’ll get used to it, then it feels good, then it feels awesome!
- RETHINK – meaning that to rethink is to rethink the way you have been thinking. Now I know I just lost some of you because your thought process is impeachable. Sorry. For the rest of you try this; locate inside of you something that you have already been thinking about which you currently entertain as a possible change you need or want to try. Try it and see if it begins to bring into your life……….
- RENEW – meaning that in less than an hour you have begun a process which may be leading you forward into renewal. All of this from a Micro Mini Vacay in your own town.
MMV’s throughout the year set up on purpose with a purpose, to give us an opportunity to be Real with ourselves. Real about rest, Real about the source of life, and Real about discovering newness of life.
Love to hear your thoughts, and feedback and as always please share this with others in your life.
MC
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