I love how Anne Lamotte says “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” That’s why I chose this off-grid overnight for our family. Truth be told, we have been so “plugged in” and pummeled by the things of life that I forgot this was Labor Day weekend. Imagine my sheer delight when I found this last minute gem on Airbnb and it was just over an hour from us! I snagged it for an overnight.
We had to extricate ourselves from our long “to do” lists. We had to battle grumpy attitudes and compromise on expectations and pull ourselves away from our devices. It was swimming upstream and I may have threatened to cancel the whole trip a couple of times. Thankfully, no one paid much attention to my ranting.
My kids are getting older. I know this not so much because of their size, more because I could tell them “go up and pack something for yourselves” and they did it. And even now, I packed up all the food and kitchen camping items, but I made a conscious effort to walk away and let them (along with my husband) finish cleaning up and packing up their own things as we prepare to head back to life as we know it. That’s big for them and it’s big for me.
Because I’m learning not to take everything on my own shoulders.
I’m learning to ask for help.
I’m learning to loosen my grip and let the chips fall where they may.
I’m “learning the unforced rhythms of grace”.
I thought about that line last night as I listened to the creek waters flowing while we fell asleep.
I’m learning to walk away and wade in the water when it all gets to be too much.
I’m learning to find strength in joy.
It’s a process.
It’s a start.
It’s a place for grace to enter in and do the heavy lifting.
It’s a choice and a compelling response to a whisper, a call to which I’m learning to listen:
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