Soaking

One of my dear friends hosts a retreat called, "Soak"each spring...the premise of this special retreat is to slow down and soak in God's presence...to linger with Him, to listen to Him, to just be with Him. I often approach God more like a "shower" experience, enjoyable yet hurried...on to the next thing. I have another friend (Happy 30th Birthday Danielle) who LOVES taking baths...unhurried, relaxing, soothing baths, (I think almost every night). Tonight was her birthday party, 9 of her girlfriends together at a cabin in the woods, laughing, crying, playing Taboo, soaking in the hot tub, bearing each other's burdens, and just enjoying a slower, calmer pace. She gave a heartfelt, beautiful speech tonight about enjoying life more...she saw a display at her children's school about Pioneer women and how they worked from sun-up to sun-down, and they "relaxed" by rocking in a chair, while they churned butter. She found out that those women died when they were about 30...because they worked so hard, they literally worked themselves to death. So, her revelation from all of this was to not be so stressed out...it's okay to have a messy house sometimes, or not work so much, if it means doing those things that really matter...to slow down enough to soak in, and really enjoy, those around you.
Tonight several of those wonderful gals, at the party, exhorted me to "be real" (I guess Dr. Phil says that)! But really, they challenged me in some things that I truly needed to hear. What a gift it was to be around them, especially amidst the craziness of our lives right now, to just kick back and have fun. I was convicted that often I take life way too seriously...and sometimes you just need to be a kid again...not worrying about what other people think, but being who I am (flab, flaws and all)....tonight, I received a heap of grace upon my head -from my amazing husband who watched the kids (and worked with a screaming Banner for an hour and half to take his bottle-- Banner does NOT like to have a bottle) and from dear sisters who cared for me right where I was at, in the midst of my pride and struggles.
Tonight, I soaked.