The Risk of Being Unavailable

Back before Christmas, my friend, Pam, texted me to ask if there was a day and time when all five members of my little family would be home. Her family had something to drop off for us.

Between my kids' extracurriculars, my new job, and Christmas prep, there sadly wasn't a day I could find when we'd be all together. Defeated, I texted back saying, "Don't worry about it. Thank you for whatever it is. Can we catch up after the holidays?"

Fortunately, Pam was flexible, committed and resourceful. A few nights later, after carpooling kids back from some event, I came home to find two phenomenal corn hole boards on my family room rug. Pam and her husband had custom made them for us! They're spectacular!

The whole exchange made me realize how much we limit ourselves by being unavailable.

I used to think faith and grace were things I needed to strive for. I thought the harder I worked pursuing them, the more of them I'd acquire. It's taken me a long time to realize that we can't strive, reach or grab for either.

Both faith and grace are blessings from God, given because He chooses us. They are gifts, and the rules of gift giving apply: All we can do on our part is become available, and receive.

When we're moving at a hundred miles an hour, every single day, our vision blurs. Despite God being even more flexible, committed, and resourceful than my friend, Pam, we end up racing right by His gifts, even the ones He leaves right out in the open, like the corn hole boards on my family room rug.

It isn’t until we slow down, become available, and simply receive that we realize God's been showering us, relentlessly, with what we've been pursuing all along. 

We're halfway through summer, where the structure and craziness of the school year don't apply. It's not too late for us to clear some space on our calendars, slow down, exhale, and breathe in the blessings God infuses into everything.