Well, today my weekly golf outing was rained out. We had gathered to try a few holes, but the weather did not cooperate. So three of us headed down to a local diner for coffee and breakfast.
We sat there for about an hour, me sipping on my coffee, the others eating a nice breakfast, talking about everything we could think of. It was a wonderful time - sitting back, laughing enjoying each others company - and not worrying about having to be somewhere or do something. Just enjoying the moment.
As I was driving back to the office, I started thinking that we, as a society, don't always do enough of that - sitting, talking, enjoying each other. We turn on the tv and tune out those around us. We keep looking at our watches, wonderfin where we have to be and how fast we have to get there. We just don't take the time to sit, and be, and really treasure the time we have with others.
One of the themes shown throughout scripture is how people take time before they make decisions. They pray, talk with others, and trust that God will lead them in the right direction. What if we did more of that today? What if instead of trying to rush a decision to make an arbitrary deadline, we actually sat down, talked with others, and prayed about the decision we needed to make? What if ...
So today, I was reminded again that making the time, and talking with others, was something I need to do more of, for it is the relationships in life that are so important and need to be treasured - and when we slow down, pray, and talk with others - who knows what direction God will lead us in our lives.
So may we all be slowed down. May we all have the opportunity to sit with others and talk. May we all be blessed by God as we go about searching for where he is leading us.
3 comments:
Pastor E said, "So today, I was reminded again that making the time, and talking with others, was something I need to do more of, for it is the relationships in life that are so important and need to be treasured - and when we slow down, pray, and talk with others - who knows what direction God will lead us in our lives."
Okay, I get it. I know that Pastor E believes that it is RELATIONSHIPS that are important during our journey here on earth. However, I see the relationship I have with MYSELF to be just as important.
Today, just as I had completed planting my flowers in my front and side yard, a young man walked up my driveway. He had a three-ring binder in his hand, and I feared he was a Jehovah Witness. But, no, it was WORSE.
He was selling home security systems and wanted me to be "the reference house" that once the system was installed, would cause the entire neighborhood to WANT ONE too!!
All the while he talked, I was shaking my head, but he was a hard person to convince. Finally, he began his swan song...reaffirming how this product of his is "on the cutting edge" and that I cannot do without it. "After all," he said, "if I had come walking up 10 years ago, and told you that you had to have a cell phone, you would have told me I was crazy. Now I can't do without mine, and I bet you are the same."
I was still shaking my head.
I then told him that while I own a cell phone, I seldom use it, don't carry it around with me, and really don't like telephones, period. If I want to speak with someone, I will call them. Most of the calls I get are from people selling things that I don't have any interest in buying.
Well, our "relationship" was soon to end. He looked at me, said, "Well, I sure hope your day gets better. You are a very negative person!"
I said, "On the contrary, I am a very positive person, who just happens to know what she wants and what she doesn't want."
On that note, he walked down my driveway, never to be seen again.
So, why do I relate this happening? Well, you see, I don't crave relationships with others as much as I want to remain "at peace" with myself. (Well, myself and God). I find great comfort in solitude and have no end of things I enjoy doing all by myself.
So, I guess I am still with the saying that "life is a journey, not a destination." My journey is with me and God. We are the two that I am most SURE of.
Others come and go.
Pr. E- "May we all have the opportunity to sit with others and talk..." I recently have had many hours and days of sitting with my Mother as I kept a vigil at her bedside. I did most of the talking and she responded with a slight smile or a radiant one; sometimes she would try to communicate and I could usually guess what she wanted to express.
During her very last days, most of the staff came in to say good-bye to their resident with the special smile. As they came, they began to share with me memories of loved ones in their lives who had passed from this life. They reminisced quietly and sincerely as I listened and affirmed their stories. My primary purpose, of course, was to be with my Mother, but I sensed that perhaps there was another reason why I sat in her quiet room and shared stories of family love. I thank God for this treasured time.
You're right! It's important to spend time with people laughing and talking. But it has to be with people we can trust--people who won't be judgemental--a difficult kind of people to find. Those are the kinds of people we remember--the ones who like us for who we are. Maybe we found a friend like that in college and we still stay in touch with him. MAYBE we have some friends like that where we are now in our lives, Hopefully, we do. Trust in people takes time. But once that trust is destroyed, it takes awhile to trust again.
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