We
are just back from vacation: a road trip to places some of us have seen before,
and other places new to all of us. It
was both restful and busy, and I am thankful to have gone and to be back. To me, nothing says happy to be home like
spending eight full days in hotels and half a day in the car with your
family.
And
these are the people I love the most.
I
am a loner; I like to have space and time to myself. Big crowds are no problem to me – they are
usually short-lived. But to live on top
of others for a period of time? Even if
it’s really a relatively short time?
Even if it’s a relatively short, fun time? I am depleted, cranky.
My
family understands. In fact, they can be
kind of like this, too. As soon as we
spilled out of the car and into our cozy, familiar house, we scattered like
mice to our own spaces. The kids disappeared
into their rooms, my husband to his office, me to the kitchen, the loft area
that contains my stuff, the bedroom. I
have been gifted with several areas of my own in this house.
Space.
It
takes a while for the space to really sink into my bones, to iron out the kinks
of irritability that inevitably make themselves known to the members of my
family. Let me go through the mail; let
me get the laundry started; let me make a grocery list, let me make dinner. Let me be, I say. My family’s need for space dissipates after a
few minutes, maybe an hour. After this
period of time, they are ready to come together again, to be as a family again,
to laugh and talk and argue about the TV. I am not there yet. I always regret being so short with them.
I
tell myself, “Jesus took time to go away by himself. He needed his time, and so do I!” But then I am reminded: Jesus went away not just
to remove himself from his loved ones; he left to pray, and he always came back refreshed and ready to do more work. I leave to be alone with my thoughts, and
they aren’t always holy.
I
also remind myself that I am most certainly NOT Jesus. I am human, and therefore I sin, and I should
cut myself some slack. And when I go off
by myself for some space, I should also pray.
Pray for rejuvenation, for a fresh outlook, for patience with my family,
for a thankful and grateful heart.
*******
The
next morning Jesus awoke long before daybreak and went out alone in the
wilderness to pray. Mark 1:35 (NLT)
As
soon as Jesus heard the news, he went off by himself in a boat to a remote area
alone. Mark 14:13 (NLT)
Jesus
said, “Sit here while I go and pray.” Mark 14:32 (NLT)
One
day soon afterward Jesus went to a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all
night. Luke 6:12 (NLT)
Andrea:
ReplyDeleteJust stumbled upon "Stumbling." A thoroughly enjoyable read, and a thoroughly different side of you than what I'm accustomed to at "About 100." But ... the NLT? Harrumph! ;-) Keep up the great work! Regards,
Joe Zlomek, Managing Editor
The Sanatoga Post
08.24.2013@8:37 p.m.
Thank you, Joe. I always enjoy your comments. The NLT is where I grew to love the Bible, and it's my go-to. But I do like to mix it up sometimes. :)
Delete