God speaks to me strongest through his creation. I love nature – rocks, animals, trees, water, crystals, grass…all the simple beauty. Chances are, when you see me, I have some form of nature in my pocket reminding me to stay grounded. A rock, a feather from a bird, a seed from a plant…they bring me peace. We can all get a little too full of hot, stagnant air from time to time. We allow monkeys that are not from our own circus to jump on our back. We worry, and then we worry. When that doesn’t work, we worry some more.
Nature is a way of remembering what is mine and what is important. Staying grounded is vital for my own spiritual health.
There is often a mantra being repeated in my head, “What’s mine is mine. What’s yours is yours.”
Keep your crap over there Karen.
Nature reminds us to be steady. Nature is audacious in its perseverance. In its bounce back ability.
This is definitely a time to focus on staying grounded, as nothing is solid. We are in a time where everything in our country and counties are changing by the hour. No rhyme or reason or warning. Just when we think we have a plan, the rug is once again pulled out from underneath our feet. It’s like trying to stand up on a lily pad. Everything is contradicting. We are left grasping on to the yin and the yang.
Nothing is certain or permanent.
Everyone’s pain is relevant. Everyone’s confusion is relevant. Grace is required and appreciated.
We need to get good at loving. We need to get resilient at surviving heartbreak, accepting what we can and can’t control. There is a peace and freedom in letting go of our plan and picture of what we envisioned 2020 would look like and savoring the joy that we can find in the wake of it.
The funny thing is, we’ve never had full control, in any year. Life can knock us down at any point, and just when we get our footing again, it’ll knock you from the other side. We know this, as we’ve all been knocked on our own behinds. Perhaps that’s why there is extra cushion there. Clever God, that guy thought of everything. I’m positive that’s why my backside has grown as I’ve aged, continued training for bounce back ability.
The one certain that hasn’t changed is the love and nature of God.
We can stay grounded in that. And on the hard days that knock us on our padded bottoms, get outside. Walk barefoot in the grass. Sit by some water and listen to it. Find a tree and lean against it in the shade. There is a reason tree huggers are happy. Find a pretty rock and hold it in your pocket. If you don’t have a pocket, put it in your bra. (Pro tip – take it out before going through airport security.) Lift your face up to feel the sunshine. Watch the moon glowing on our sweet world. Let the outdoors slow you down. Take a lesson from God’s nature and become a Champ at loving.
I’ll leave you with the weekly words from our boys Lorena Athletic Director and beloved Coach Ray Biles,
“Don’t worry about the things you cannot control, focus on the things you can control. It may change tomorrow. It may change the day after that, but you know the good Lord is in control and we’ll all be okay.”
Sending you love, light, and pretty rocks,
Brooke