If you know me well, you know that I do not like to be still for too long. I consistently have my next activity or move planned out so that when the time arrives, I can step right into the next thing and not miss a beat. As an extrovert, I also have this crippling fear of FOMO (fear of missing out), and can push myself to my limits and then will push a little more. This is probably the mindset that is feeding my high caffeine intake – but that is another topic for another time.
For the last 2 years I have not stopped. I moved to Nashville, started a new job, worked to find a place to live, worked to find a roommate, worked to find a church, worked to build a community. I would not trade my experience for anything, but when I step back and look at my start here, I honestly do not know how I powered through it all. Two weeks ago, I accepted a new job in Nashville. From the moment I accepted my new job offer, I had my next moves planned out to a tee – I would turn in a 3 week notice, wrap things up with my (then) current job, finish on a Friday and then start my new job the following Monday. On paper, it seemed like it was the winningest option…..and then things shifted. Things with my old job ended abruptly, and I was left standing with time on my hands that I did not have a plan for. It took me a few days to come out of the fog, but I have now come to see that being given the unexpected gift of time was an extension of grace that was lavished on me. For 2 years, I have not had time to catch my breath, to process everything that has happened and that I have endured, to simply rest. This time has given me a margin to comb through everything I have dealt with over my time in Nashville to date, pray through wounds that have developed because I neglected them, and gear up to start a new adventure that I can come into feeling refreshed! It has also forced me to realize that when I do not make room for margins in other areas of my life, someone else is suffering at that expense. When I do not take care of myself, my relationship suffer – I am not able to show grace, or love, or have fun. I become too preoccupied with what the next thing is on my list or calendar. Margins are there for protection, to give us space to recover and catch to our breath.
So, onto the next chapter I go, having soaked up the last few days of R&R, and ready to hit the ground running!
Backroads and Detours 