Sacred Mundane: The Blog

The thought did cross my mind:

“I wonder what women would do if they saw their recent conference speaker bustin’ a move on the dance floor to Young MC and Will Smith?”

Then I had to smile as I thought of the answer:

“I hope they’d dance with me!”

Yes, last weekend we–Jeff and I and Dutch and Heidi–hit the dance floor. We had the joy of attending the wedding of my dear cousin, Scott. I can still remember 29 years ago, when little Scott arrived on an airplane from Calcutta, India. My eyes were wide: He was so tiny and his skin was so dark! As we grew up together I later explained to him that I was vanilla ice cream and he was chocolate. I’m sure he appreciated my explanation. 🙂

Well baby Scott grew up and this weekend he married beautiful Renee in their hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada. So yes, we took a trip to “sin city” and were so grateful to bask in God’s presence and enjoy His (HOT) creation there in the desert. We played and swam and ate and … danced. We toasted and celebrated and laughed ourselves silly.

We celebrated, and oh it was so good.

One of the parts of the Oregon Trail that has struck me from all our readings, was the account of one child telling of their day-to-day life on the trail. She told of how each night the would cook dinner over the fire, and then someone would bring out a banjo, or some other instrument, and begin to play. And of course someone would start dancing, and then the clapping and singing would begin, and they would laugh and dance and sing and clap by the firelight–not too late since they had to rise early in the morning–to enjoy a little celebration along the hard and rugged road to Oregon territory. Their days were so hard, so many lost their lives, and they all faced such tremendous difficulties along the way. It was critical that they took time to celebrate each day of life as they persevered on their journey.

Oh we must remember to celebrate as we traverse this life of faith.

I need this lesson, often. I am such a do-er. I so terribly geared toward efficiency.  Even yesterday, we had a 6-7 hour drive to Utah. My natural plan would be to go straight there–no stops. But my brother had discovered this crazy little waterfall and natural warm springs river, hidden away in the Arizona desert. It was a short but steep hike down to it, and it was 112 degrees outside.

We did it. All four Littles traversed the rocky hillside and we splashed around in that amazing hidden waterfall to our hearts content. It was thrilling, refreshing, and I felt so exhilerated when we came back to the car I felt energized for the remaining 4 hours of the trip. Later, Dutch said that the waterfall swim was the highlight of the whole weekend for him.

We must take time along the journey to stop, jump in the water, swim under the waterfall, dance our hearts out, clap, laugh, celebrate.

Could it be that Sacred Celebrations are really part of the journey? Part of what refreshes us, rejuvenates us, gives us fresh breath and joy for the journey? I will never for as long as I live forget the scene of my dear cousin Scott—the groom–dancing with Heidi and my niece Jennika. I will never forget the joy of our whole family out jumping up and down to “Shout!” and waving our hands above our heads, “Whoaaa–uuhhh-ohhh!” I will never forget how they laughed and chased the zig-zagging lights and fell into their beds exhausted and falling asleep with smiles on their faces.

Do we take time for Sacred Celebrations? We know from Scripture that God prescribed celebrations for the Israelites. Times of feasting, celebrating, laughing, resting.

Why do we think that celebration is less holy than solemnity? Surely there is a time for both.

So that is my lesson for today. I am grateful beyond words that along this long and sometimes grueling life of faith, that we are given the gift of Sacred Celebrations.

That we as pioneers can pull out a banjo, start clapping, and celebrate another day of life.

If we have been given life and breath, we have reason to rejoice.

Perhaps, just for a moment tonight, you might pull your wagon along the side of the road, and after dinner put on some music and celebrate, just a little. Laugh, smile, tickle your kids. Thank God for His generosity in giving you another day of life.

Enjoy a Sacred Celebration along the way.

{How do you celebrate life? Celebrating with you … Thanks for reading!}

We were about 3 hours into our road trip, sailing along I-5 going 70mph, when Heidi suddenly screamed in distress, a one word warning we knew we must heed:

“POOPY!!”

Yes, we’re working on her communication methods, but the girl has a highly functional digestive system, and when she has to go she has to go. Often.

“Ok, we’ll stop at the next rest stop, babygirl. You can hold it until then.” Of course her face registered panic and she sat kicking her legs, no doubt fighting her body’s urges with all the self-control her 3-year-old self could muster.  I’m happy to report we made it in time.

I thought the first day’s trip would take us almost 10 hours.

That’s what Google Maps had said. 

But I hadn’t registered one critical road trip component: Stops. Frequent stops. Road trips with small children mean frequent stops. Although I must confess we only made 4 stops altogether and 2 of them were initiated by Jeff and me. So the fact that our trip took 11.5 hours instead of 10 was certainly not their fault, but it reminded me of an important principle along the pioneer path. One African Proverbs states it like this:

If you want to go fast, go alone.

If you want to go far, go together.

Of course Jeff and I could have taken this trip quicker if we were alone. But I would never trade in a thousand years that sweet opportunity to travel with our children. To learn from them and with them, to hear their endless questions and sweet curiosity, to take a million mental pictures as I glanced into the backseat and see them snacking, talking, reading, watching. I’d never trade the priceless family time we gained from simply spending 11.5 hours in a small space, together.

There is nothing so precious as traveling this life of faith together. 

Today, in fact, we are really traveling together. Today we are driving with my parents, my brother, and his wife and two children, from Las Vegas to Salt Lake City. I’m sure with 10 people’s digestive needs–instead of only 4–we’ll have even more special stops along the way. 🙂 But again, I’ll happily trade speed for the joy of traveling together.

This reminds me again of the Pioneers. Along the Oregon Trail, they had to travel a snail’s pace. Or literally, a child’s pace. We often think of them all riding in wagons, but the wagons–for the most part–only held the very sick or very young.

All who could walk, did. 

And so their pace was that of the slowest walker. Have you ever walked with a child? It’s slow. And at this slow pace they went, more than 2,000 miles, because they knew that it was worth it to travel together.

I’ve been reminded of this recently in my own life. As we’re making some hard choices to follow God and live out this life of faith, I’m being continually reminded how necessary it is to surround ourselves with like-minded saints who are going the same direction.  When we think we might be crazy, we need someone who is walking alongside us (even if perhaps they are crazy too!). When we’re discouraged about how long the journey is, we need someone else’s perspective who is traveling right there as well. When we’re sick, tired, weary, sad. Whatever it is we’re experiencing, we need the strength in numbers, the faithful saints who walk beside and lend a hand–or a wagon–until our strength has returned.

Are you surrounding yourself with like-minded saints? Sisters and brothers who are truly going the same direction? I do not merely mean “Christians” because there are plenty of Christians who are not living pioneer lives of seeking God’s glory, on mission with Him, living His upside-down Kingdom here on earth.  Are you surrounded by people who make you want to love Jesus more? Who inspire courage in you? Who love you and pray for you?

Do whatever it takes to surround yourself with such people. Ask God for them. Look for them. Watch for them. Pursue them. Get right alongside them and seek to do life with them. Travel Together. It’s the only way we’ll make it all the way there. 

Even if it means inconvenience, we must stay together. Even if it means we can’t go as fast as we want, if it means we must adjust our schedules, our preferences, our comforts. Even if it means pulling over so a 3-year-old girl can go poopy.

More than once. 

We must travel together, amen? Amen. 

{Do you have “travel companions”?  How do they encourage you along the way? Thank you so much to those of you who are true traveling companions to me. Bless you today, and thanks for reading!}

• Swimming Floating with my girl. (Do you think we have enough flotation devices?!)
• Sun. Sun. Sun.
• S’mores.
• BBQs.
• Naps.
• Unplugged.
• Learning to listen.
• Crystal blue waters.
• Sidewalk chalk. 
• Priceless works of art. 
• Raspberry lemonade.
• Wearing only bathing suits for two days straight.
• Kids so tired they fall asleep quickly.
• Fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries for breakfast.
• Good sleep.
• Love Has a Face.
• The Missional Mom. (Must read!)
• Long talks with my man. Oh so grateful to be married to a man after God’s heart!
• Thanking God for faithful friends in our life.
• Ideas, dreams, vision.
• Praying for everything.
• Emily praying my migraine away.
• Big salads.
• Roasting marshmallows.
• Not wanting to run but doing it anyway.
• Cool nights.
• Learning to see.
• Safe travels.
• Full tires.
• Air-conditioning.
• In-n-out burger.
• Early mornings with Him. 
• Kids curled up in the shade with books.
• Watermelon.
• Reminders of how big He is.
• Like-minded saints.
• Understanding. 
• Seeing–just a bit–with His eyes.

A blessed weekend to you! With love from Las Vegas, thanks for reading,

K

Technically this bite is called “Regularly turn off your TV,” but I adapted it a bit since TV is just one small way we’re plugged in to the outside world.

That has been one of the joys of this trip. Even though 11.5 hours in the car isn’t necessarily bliss, it was bliss to have that much uninterrupted time as a family.  It was a joy to have hours to talk to my man, to simply gaze out the window and watch the rows of pistachio trees slip by and watch the thousands of cows lazily grazing and  lift silent prayers to God, to dream and let our thoughts run and drift. We listened to an audio book (Sir Malcom and the Missing Prince) that brought tears to my eyes and taught our whole family lessons on character, struggle, suffering, and humility.

And yesterday we had the joy of spending all day unplugged (except when I wrote this post after the kids were in bed!), playing and swimming and reading and just being. As I type this Jeff is sitting next to me reading a biography of John Stott. Today I finished Love Has a Face by Michele Perry, a remarkable story of a one-legged woman barely older than I, who has devoted her life to loving 80 orphans in war-torn Sudan. Then I spent the afternoon napping with Heidi. It is remarkable to me how much it helps to have a simple 24-hour period where I can detox from the constant onslaught of news and social media.

For me, unplugging enables me to engage more fully in the 3-dimensional world in which I live. It helps me slow down and inhale my children’s breath, lean into my husband’s embrace and stay there a little longer. It helps me stop and look out the window … for a long time. It just helps me to stop, look, and listen go the real world and see His presence there.

So, want some ideas on what to do on your unplugged day? Tsh has a great post with idea on living slowly here. 

Is there a day this weekend where you can unplug? If so, what will you choose to do in order to recharge and be refreshed? A book? A long walk? A picnic with your family? Whatever you do, engage in the real world and look, listen, taste, touch, smell. Breathe deep and enjoy! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to unplug as well. Thanks so much for reading! Happy weekend.