It has been a few days since I left Paris and returned to my home in California. In some ways it is wonderful to be home, but in other ways I am sad that my great adventure is over (for now).
Getting back to reality is always difficult as I am now faced with a mountain of laundry, mail stacked to the ceiling, bills to pay, a dusty house (how does that happen when I'm gone?) and my ever-present "To Do" list that is still sitting on my desk where I left it 5-1/2 weeks ago. Plus, I brought home an extra (not to be disclosed) amount of weight that I have to shed before anything in my closet will fit!
Sigh.
But there's something else.
There is a wonderful freedom that I enjoy when I'm traveling around the world without any immediate responsibility. It's hard to explain, but it's a feeling of release. For a while, I am free from the daily pressures of life, and in that place, I experience God's presence. It's a rich and satisfying feeling knowing He is near and there is nothing standing between us. There is no pressure to perform. There are no deadlines. No one is watching or judging. There are minimal expectations. I can simply BE . . . and in this unencumbered state, I am naturally drawn to Him.
The question I am now asking myself is what changes do I need to make in my life that will allow me to STAY in this place of intimacy and encounter in the midst of my daily responsibilities? Why must I allow the pursuits or entanglements of living (sometimes it feels more like survival) choke out The One who sustains me? That's not the way it is supposed to be.
The first and greatest command is to love God with our whole being. But isn't it rare to find someone who is completely God-centered? Isn't it more "normal" for people to focus on trying to make life work apart from Him?
Hmmm.
Being fully His; staying connected - these pursuits will be my next adventure - right here at home.
