The Journey
Parenthood. It sure is something special. Here is the challenge: Remembering that before you were a parent, you were a spouse. It is incredibly easy to get lost in the shuffle of littles and begin to treat your spouse like a co-worker rather than the person with whom you once fell madly in love. Don’t lose the love. Take time to remember the special things about your spouse, and remember the butterflies.
Sweet husband and I try to go on regular date nights. Date nights have evolved in the 12 years we have been together. On our last date night, we found ourselves out, done with dinner, and wondering what else to do by about 7:13. We. Are. Old.
Additionally, extended getaways… not a regular occurrence. The more children you have, the more difficult that task becomes. Hi, dear person in my life, would you please keep my zoo for several days while I run away and try to pretend like I am 22 again? Bless.
Nevertheless, a few months ago, I turned 30. THIRTY. Help me Lord. My mom, knowing how much of a control freak I am, asked a few months in advance, “So, do you want to plan yourself a surprise party?” Yes. She really did ask me that. I had a minor meltdown and told her if anyone was going to plan anything, it should be sweet husband. Poor sweet husband never gets to plan. (Because I am a crazy control freak.) I informed him of my meltdown and gave him permission to plan. A few days later, I called him and said, “Alright. I have a plan, this is what I want to do.” (How does he love me? I am a crazy person!)
I spent the next two months agonizing over every detail of our weekend trip. It would be our first getaway in about three years. The hotel, the restaurant options, the activities. Every. Single. Detail.
Spoiler Alert: The actual destination was not great. The hotel was not as fabulous as I anticipated. The restaurant choices were not the best. Many of the things we planned to do did not happen. I was newly pregnant and tired. And I spent the majority of the weekend stressing over outfits for our family pictures, which I idiotically scheduled for the day we returned.
The best part of the trip? We were barely out of Louisiana when I was frantically searching for the perfect Pandora station. Sweet husband reached over, grabbed my hand and said, “I think more than the weekend itself, I was looking forward to the road trip with you. I always enjoy road trips with you.” Be still my heart. I sure do love that man.
The events of the weekend, frankly, were not great according to my plans. But every minute of the weekend was perfect. I enjoyed the journey with him. Even if the destination wasn’t quite what we had anticipated.
Someone very wise once told me– and friends, it is probably one of the best nuggets of advice I could ever give you– God is more concerned with your journey than you are with your destination. We spend so much time wondering what God’s will is for our lives. We wonder where He wants us to go and worry about every detail of how we will get there. In actuality, what He wants most is for us to simply trust Him with every step of the journey, to relinquish our plans to His steps in the path towards His perfect destination for our lives.
Today, stop the incessant planning. Trust. And enjoy the journey…