The Purpose of the Path

Tonight, I started reading Donald Miller's book "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years." I've always envied the simplicity and humor in his style. He writes like a sort of 'soul whisperer.' It's on everyone's level and honest. Not a harsh sort of honesty. It's presented in a way so as to surface things we tend to keep subliminal. His writing evokes a desire to look at things with a genuine grit to them. He has a way of adding "realness" to life, but without the hoity-toity, artsy depth that so many writers try to spin. It's refreshing and lovely.

Since Rodney went on a last-minute business trip tonight, I prepared for bed alone. And I thought about how much more I could do if I was on my own. I imagined the level of writing I could achieve without my family to attend to. Not just my literary dealings, but think of the music I could write. And I could read a Donald Miller book every week. I could study my passions and really utilize my giftings.

That was when I had an epiphany. It's the kind that leaves you embarrassed in front of your own self because it's so obvious and dumb. I realized that everything I even have to offer or write about-- my Story-- is about my family. It's what I know. It is the passion I have chosen to pursue. And sadly, it's only a season. I will not always have to pick Cheerios out of the seats of my mini-van or jelly beans out of noses. Nor will my children bolt for the door and turn to Velcro when I come home. I will not always hear the tender, wispy "Love you Momma" before turning off their lights before bed.

And when this season does come to an end, I will have my time. Perhaps I'll have less passion by then too. But if I don't have it, I won't miss it. I don't think.

The cheesy cliche of "Life is an adventure" is true. And I hate cliches. The paradox is that while every day is different, I sometimes weary of the repetition. But what I do now is gaining me a wealth of knowledge, maturity, hopefully wisdom, and writing material. God has given me what I have now, and I am content. More than that, I am blessed. Thank You.