Apparently, I am ready. Like, Boy Scout ready. Or maybe even Eagle Scout ready. I must be, because it seems as though life has been sending an abundance of lessons my way lately. I am rarely a willing student while in the midst of a lesson – but, I am always so grateful once some learning has taken place.
I received an interesting lesson from the most unexpected teacher early this past week. I was at the dentist’s office (for the umpteenth time over the past couple of months…but that’s another story!) and sitting patiently in the waiting area with my iPad. There was a toddler who had just turned three (I overheard her mother telling someone) bouncing back and forth between her big brother and her book. The teenage daughter finished her appointment, and the family gathered to leave. As they were heading out the door, the three year old said, “Mommy, I need to get a life!” Her mother stopped and look at her incredulously, not sure she had heard her correctly. “What, sweetie?”
“I need to get a life, Mommy. Toby said I need to get a life. C’mon, let’s go get me one.”
While I sat in my chair, chuckling quietly behind my iPad, I realized that this adorable toddler had just given a name to the life lesson that I seem to be in the midst of. While my big brother hasn’t been telling me I need to get a life, I have been feeling a nudge (okay, maybe the swing of a 2x4!) from God urging me to do just that.
Over the past several years, I have spent an immense amount of time in a life valley, rarely climbing out to enjoy the beautiful view from the peaks. I have been living in isolation, coming out to play only for work, family get-togethers, and to spend time with my little buddies Maya and Nicky. Up until this time, I had always been active on a number of fronts. Somewhere along the way, I became a couch potato instead. And, for me, being a couch potato is not a good thing. When instead I am actively involved with my fellow travelers on this journey called life, I have some protection against falling into unhealthy, self-centered thoughts and behaviors – which ultimately cut me off from the sunlight of the Spirit. Thus, I believe the "nudge" with the 2x4 is God’s way of saying, “Enough! Get out of yourself already!”
So, how does one go about “getting a life” in such a circumstance? Well, for me, it boils down to a single word: ACTION. Rather than spending the majority of my “free time” sitting in front of the TV and playing mind numbing games on my computer, I can get out to meetings with people in a fellowship I belong to, volunteer to do some service work, reach out to friends I haven’t contacted in eons, and a myriad of other healthier activities. When I do this, I find that I become a more ready student, and teachers frequently appear to help me identify exactly what it is I need to do to be of service to God and my fellow man.
I have been given so many wonderful and life-changing lessons from such an array of amazing (and often unexpected) teachers on my life journey. And, I have found that even when I put the dunce cap on myself and turned my face to stand in the corner for an extended time-out, the teachers wait patiently and greet me back into this school of life with open arms…making me one very grateful student!
Now…back to that topic of action. Picking up the woodburner is another way for me to get into action. My creative juices have been flowing…and my list of project ideas has been expanding. I haven’t been able to spend quite as much time with the burner as I would like over the past few weeks. (Getting back into action has led to quite a number of social commitments, and the ongoing dental saga has meant an immense amount distracting pain!) I have, however, been making some progress. As a result, my not-so-long ago pristine work area is not so pristine!
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| A clean work area is a sign of an inactive pyrographer! |
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| Turtle and Butterfly - almost finished burning |
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