I have come to realize that just about everywhere is home when I'm at peace and kissing God's glories all around! Those glories might be flowers, tea grounds, or smooshy cheeks of beautiful children. Mmmmm; but I make sure to kiss them all.
This weekend I traveled to my home, home--where my mother sheltered my sister and me for a good 7 years and continues to do so whenever we visit. My mom and I decided to go on a bike ride to find the new path that was put in (and is supposed to be extended one day all the way to Mackinaw Island!). We were riding alongside of the road, and I finally stopped my mom and told her that I wasn't really enjoying being next to the busy cars. She suggested we take the road to our right that went off into nature. "Sounds good to me!"
We biked and biked with no end in sight. It was beautiful to just "be" in nature with my mom. There were beautiful flowers and places (like fish preserves) that I never knew were near my home. When we came to a road crossing, we jogged back toward the direction of our house. We knew we'd have to come close at some point.
I remember the exact moment my mom got tired.
She mentioned calling my neighbor. Before we had left, he said to just enjoy the ride and call if we didn't want to bike back--"just go." I told her that he was just being generous and that our bikes wouldn't fit in his car. "I would have never biked this far if I didn't know I had someone to rely on to get us home," she said.
Wow! What an amazing statement. Those who believe in God may push farther because we know there is someone we can rely on--someone guiding us home and protecting us. We go into the darkness--or onto random paths--because of our faith.
I convinced my mom to continue going. She turned on her iPod and we sang ourselves home. She was adamant to learn the distance of our travel, so we retraced it with her car: 11 miles. She was proud of that journey. Once she let go, not worrying about distance, she was able to make it.
The next day we went tubing down the Ausable. We began at 5 p.m. on the shortest trail--approximately a two hour "float." Once we got in our tubes, my mom 'remembered' that 2 hours was if we were in a canoe. Since we floated into some groups of people enjoying a few too many drinks, we developed a game of 'visit, paddle, paddle.' We'd visit while we were passing the groups and paddle at least a quarter mile in front of them before we took a breather. This got pretty exhausting. I had never paddled with my arms for a constant amount of time. We enjoyed the beauty the entire way--looking all around us and getting a few songs out when we were along with wilderness all around us. We ended up making it to our destination in just over 2 hours--constant arm motion for 2 hours. Wow--anything really is possible with God. He knows the weakness of my arms. At times my mom even noted that I was in a stronger 'current' than she was because I started going pretty fast. I don't think it was my arms--I think God helped me a little :)
It was so nice to share those moments with my mom.
Now I am 'home' in Mt. Pleasant. I stayed up late talking with a couple new friends. Then I woke up this morning after sleeping like an angel. Two little kids came galloping through our doors, making music on guitars and drums. Such a beautiful day already. I feel I have lived it fully--and it's only 11:15 a.m.
Peace--certainly not worldwide--but in a heart that IS worldwide.
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