a barefoot God

My heart is changing.

I know that is an unusual way to begin a sentence, but it is true. Often, I look inwardly, tending to my own house without taking a moment to look out the window. There is so much happening beyond the walls of my home. I take pride in making the kitchen, bathroom, living room, and bedroom look presentable. In some ways, I feel as though I am stuck in the 1920s, an era when women stayed home to care for the children and fulfill household chores. I am beginning to realize that if I embody such a lifestyle for myself, I will miss the delight of looking out my window.

You see, there is something spectacular about opening the door of my home to sit outside. There is something right about lying barefoot on the grass and watching the clouds pass by. This is my picture of the "perfect day." This is how I imagine God spending time with me. Lying next to me on the grass, looking up at the sky, oblivious of time, yet holding time in itself. Our lives revolve around scheduling whether its transporting our kids to their soccer practice, having lunch with the in-laws, or planning a wedding. Yet, God is teaching me to not rely on a schedule where I know what's coming in the next 5 minutes, in the next hour, in the next day or even in the next week. He's teaching me to rely on no schedule at all.

God speaks many times in the Bible about "community." But, there are times (even in the scheduling) where he calls me to "get away."

I recently saw the movie, "The Karate Kid." I'm not one for plots that involve fighting but there was something about the movie previews that intrigued me. In one part of the movie, Dre Parker (played by Will Smith's son Jaden Smith) asks Mr. Hun (Jackie Chan), "Are we going to train today?" Mr. Hun says "No." And twelve-year old Dre asks "Why?" Mr. Hun says "Because too much of something can be a bad thing."

Really? "Too much of something can be a bad thing?" Well, if I eat too much ice cream, or watch too much television, or stay up too late on the computer, then yes, too much of something is bad. We all need a break. In Pslam 23, David (the psalmist) paints this picture of God as a Shepherd. He writes that God will always be with us "even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death." I leave you with Psalm 23 and ask you to answer this question, Is God your Shepherd today?

"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he lead me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

You don't always have to walk with your shoes on. Sometimes, God is completely content going barefoot; hangin' out beside you on the grass, staring up at the clouds as they effortlessly pass by.