Eat, Pray, Love, Run

One of the great moments of a long trip is sitting down on the airplane and knowing that for the next few hours, all you can do is just sit there and relax. All the packing, planning, organizing, errand-running that have led to this moment have to be left behind.

The last few weeks have felt like a whirlwind of activity, with Christmas, getting things organized at church, and preparing the details of the trips that lie ahead. The last few years have been a whirlwind of activity - St. Paul's is a busy and exciting place, nearly all the time. I like to by busy and active, and have trouble sitting still for long. But I am ready to remember how to be still for awhile.

Today, as I waited impatiently in line at Target, trying to check off one more item from a long pre-trip to-do list, I remembered how often I had to wait for things when I lived in Sri Lanka. Lines were often long, travel was often slow and filled with check-points, programs rarely started on time, and life just moved at a different pace. I got used to waiting patiently. It became part of the rhythm of life. So, it seems fitting that I'll begin my sabbatical with a trip to Sri Lanka.

Though it's not especially original, I've decided to sub-title my sabbatical journey, "Eat, Pray, Love, Run." I'm looking forward to eating my way through all kinds of cuisines in the next few months. I'm already dreaming about the delicious curries, fruits and other foods I've missed from Sri Lanka, so I want to be really conscious of slowing down and savoring them when I eat.

Traveling is usually when I do my best journaling and reflecting, since there are so many interesting new sights and experiences to process. So, the next few months should provide some great opportunities for conversations with God, looking and listening for new insights. I hope to make plenty of time for prayer, especially the kind where I stop telling God everything I'm thinking and let God take over the conversation.

As I spend time with old friends, and hopefully make some new ones, I want to be really present with the people I meet and let them into my heart, to experience the joy of connection that goes beyond culture and language. I want to be generous with my time and attention and affection.

And I also want to continue to feel healthy and strong, and do lots of hiking and running. Even though that is the exact opposite of literally being still, those are activities that quiet my mind. I hope as I run over the next few months (including my 2nd half marathon!), I can focus on being present and aware of what my body is doing, rather than on how fast or far I'm going.

I'm so grateful to have this time to live life at a different pace. Though the schedule will still be busy, it will be filled with a different kind of activity, and - hopefully - I will approach it all with a different attitude and spirit. Instead of rushing through in order to get it done, I can be in the moment. Especially that moment tomorrow when I board the plane!