Back to Life... Back to Reality

Kiss My Grits!

I had an amazing time this past week.  I was given the opportunity to attend a conference at a beautiful mountain resort in Colorado Springs. It was serene, breath-taking, tranquil.  I would wake up every morning and just take in all the beauty of God’s creation.  I would head down to the actual castle where I would enjoy a wonderful hearty breakfast (seriously, I’ve never had grits before this, but I finally understand why Flo was always telling us to kiss them – by the way, I’m no where near old enough to have ever see that show!).  

Throughout the day, I would participate in worship, hear inspirational speakers, enjoy fellowship with people who actually seemed happy to see me, feel challenged and motivated, and eat delicious food that I neither had to cook nor clean up after. Every day, I just spent a little time by myself, quiet, connecting with God. Then, to top it all off, I would come back to my room to see that someone had made my bed.  Pretty heavenly.

It was beautiful there!

On top of the world

Then I came home.

Instead of the breath-taking views, I am fighting the breath-taking heat – Tulsa’s average temperature is only 30 degrees hotter than Colorado’s!  Instead of a lovely breakfast in a lovely castle, I popped a piece of strawberry/tangerine chewing gum on my way out the door.  Instead of leisurely reading and soaking in God’s creation, I’m met with impending (and some past due!) deadlines. And guess what?  No one made my bed this morning.  In fact, having left my two guys to their own devices for 9 days – an unmade bed is the least of my worries.  This morning, I was tripping over newspapers, shoes, clothes and toys (and okay, MY suitcases – that one is my fault) as I attempted to get ready for the day.  I made the huge mistake of taking a peak in the fridge – Ewww! (thus the gum for breakfast), and I’m pretty sure the house is void of unnecessary things like milk, paper towels, and laundry detergent.  That, and I’m pretty sure they’ve been splitting one roll of toilet paper between the three bathrooms!

*To be fair, instead of doing anything I asked him to do this week, my dear husband spent some time doing disaster relief work, and used his evenings to make sure our son enjoyed his last week of summer – they went to the movies, the zoo, and the Center of the Universe.*

I guess the middle of nowhere can get lonely

And don’t get me wrong – I want to be where my guys are.  Nothing in the mountains compares to the smile of my little boy and the arms of my big man, but truthfully, I’d like to scoop them up and take them back there with me (provided they agree to pick their dirty clothes up!).  I miss the mountain. 

Seriously, look at this view!

I’m typically a valley kind of girl.  I can be sarcastic and cynical.  I’m used to feeling overwhelmed and tired.  It never surprises me when we all get the stomach flu following a great vacation.  When I get a really great haircut, I expect that after I wash it, I’ll never be able to replicate what the stylist did and end up hating it.  During a particularly exciting Sunday morning, I’m fairly certain that the church van will get a flat tire.  And every time my birthday comes around, I’m waiting for someone to die (not because I’m dark and twisted, but because it happens every single year.  On March 27^th, take cover!).  I'm used to the rain on my parade.  I’ve come to expect it.  For every mountain, there’s a valley.

This time, though, I’m holding desperately to the mountain – literally, in fact.  I brought home several mountain rocks, thinking that if I could touch them, just feel them, I would remember.  I really want to continue to feel the inspiration and calm I experienced there.  I don’t want to lose it.  I don’t want the serenity to fade into stress, the awe into anxiety.

And maybe it won’t.

Then again, maybe I’m deluded from the altitude since as soon as we pulled off the interstate in Tulsa after our 12 hour drive, not 30 seconds from my home, someone ran a red light and hit us!

Sigh.  Home sweet home.

YOUR TURN, READERS – What do you do to keep joy in your very busy lives?  Give me some tips!