Sunday prior to heading into church, my girlfriend and I are gathering our things for the day. I realize about 3 miles from her home that I've left my phone behind. (yes, unheard of right) I sat on it for a moment, mentioned it and moved on.
As we drove a few thoughts went through my head... what if someone needs me? Well, I would use Julie's phone to let my husband know I'd left my phone behind and if there was to be an emergency, it was covered. We were going into the concert and there was sure to be many photo opportunities ~ humm. Julie is great about capturing pictures too, I'll simply share what she takes. OK. that's covered!
During the day there were a few instances where I thought about my phone, taking a photo, checking a message... and God whispered to me "JUST BE" ok?
JUST BE? Yes, Just be in the moment - Jesus was sharing with me. Don't look to create the moments, just BE IN THEM. I'm someone who likes photos, I love to capture smiles and fun and unique images and have them to look back on or share.
I have found that I am guilty of looking for the photo opportunities and missing the opportunities which are before me to simply be present in. Thank you Jesus for distracting me and causing me to leave behind my phone this weekend. In doing so, I was submerged in simply being in the moment, in breathing in the memories being created and in feeling your incredible hand touching each and every piece of it all. I didn't need a photo, you have placed each memory, each face, each word upon my heart for which I find myself STILL smiling today from a weekend which was blessed beyond words.
When I left for home on Monday, before I even left the small town my friend is in, my "CHECK ENGINE" light came on. My husband had told me before leaving, I'd need to add some oil as we'd not made time for him to change it that week and it needed it. I'd not yet done it (ugggggg). I pulled into the NAPA auto store where a very nice man helped me with my car. He shared he was pretty sure it was a low oil indicator and that it was fine, I shouldn't worry unless it blinked. Thanks for that! He checked my oil, I think to make sure I had done it correctly - and told me I was good to go. And so prayed over my car, asking Jesus get me home safe & I went.
The light still on, I grab the manual to read it could be an electrical short, air in the gas line or low oil. OK. It never said it would be an indicator the car would explode and I'd be a James Bond movie - but that was in the back of my mind. I'm not good with 'car stuff" I like to just get in and go, confidently without worry.
The light still on all the way through Portland. I stop and get gas and think surely this will do it, I've run the car a bit, fueling up should get that light to shut off. NOPE. And up the Gorge I went, singing and praying over my car.
As I drove, I was jammin' to some awesome christian music and thinking over my weekend. We had such a great time and I was so moved by all of the talent the artists had at the concert and all of the love that filled them for Jesus. It was powerful! It was awesome!! Tummy grumble and I am hungry so I decide the Dalles is a great spot to pull off, they do have a Burgerville and so with that I decide to expand my mission territory and stop!
I had a regular cheese burger and a small rosemary fry. And I'm not gonna lie, it was wonderful ~ (I really wanted the milk shake).
As I sat there I watched people and I enjoyed a young mom and her sons. Cute little fellas full of energy and I thought to myself God bless her! And I noticed she was on her phone A LOT. It kind of made me sad. Here these two handsome little guys were squirming and poking at one another while they ate and she would have been just as involved had she been at the car wash next door. And God spoke to me... thank you for JUST BEING. I'd not picked up my phone other than to tell my husband I was heading home earlier in the day.
I'd not pulled my phone out while sitting there. I realized in this moment how often I have opportunity to be with Jesus (as this mom had to be with her boys) and I choose to mindlessly scroll through social media - God was certainly nudging me here and making a point. I am in relationship with Him. My world is a buzz enough I don't need to fill space with mindless acts - I need to fill my space with Him. Not that there is anything wrong with having your phone and engaging with it, but is it a relationship with our phones we choose or with Jesus? With our families, our friends? POWERFUL that moment in that Burgerville, Thank you Jesus!
I get back in my car light STILL ON I begin to move. I think I hear a noise. I'm not certain I do or not, because frankly my hearing is still a bit dull from the loud music the night before. I'm unsure so I turn off my radio and begin to drive. I then begin to pray. I then think about my car situation, for years I've said I'd like to get a new car but it wasn't a "need" it was a want and maybe God was letting me know here I needed to get a bit more serious about it and really do some research, the need was coming. Oh I didn't know. I just knew the stress of that darn light!
Radio off, I started praying, almost talking out loud to Jesus, to myself (I'm THAT person on the road). I began praying over things which touched me on my trip. I began praying for my family, I began seeking Jesus in situations which are a bit overwhelming for my human heart right now. I began breathing differently. I continues to look at the light, but mostly my worry turned to worship as I drove simply seeded myself intentionally in a space where God could speak to me, where the radio didn't drown him out, where the sun was bright on my face and where my heart was being filled - Ohhh thank you Jesus!
Yesterday morning, I went out to start my car. Before I even opened the door I prayed over it (yes, over a car). When I put the key in and started it, THE LIGHT WAS OFF. I smiled BIG and yelled a THANK YOU JESUS! I don't know if I was more worried about getting a new car or telling my husband something is wrong with this one (just to paint the picture, it is not an old falling apart car. It is a good dependable vehicle). I came into the house and told my daughter PRAISE GOD the light went off, must have been the need for oil to travel through the engine. She smiles "OK".
Yesterday as I walked out of work to get into the car I smiled. And I got in and I said, out loud. "Thank you Jesus for turning on the car light, so I would gravitate more to your light, turning off the radio and tuning into you. well played Lord! well played" then I laughed and thought to myself thank goodness we don't have a dash cam!!
Today, thank Jesus in the little things which seem like they may be a hiccup in your day - He could very well be using them to get your attention, to get you to come to Him, to get you to simply BE IN THE MOMENT!
Blessed day friends xoxox MORE OF HIM, LESS OF ME.