Live in the NOW!

Last week, Amie and I got the opportunity to go to the Southern Similar Ministry Conference.  Long name but what it's about is a group of therapeutic riding centers with a Christian emphasis getting together to talk about leadership.  Last Thursday we headed down to Leeds, AL and spent two nights down there with a group of great Christians.  Most of the groups were from Alabama and then there was us and Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch, a fantastic place in Oregon.  It was a good time.  Not everything applied to us but a lot did and it was some good stuff to take back home and apply to both our full time and summer staff.  And it was nice to be around like-minded, like-focused folks.  There was a session on mindfulness that was deep and quite applicable.  Just prior to the session, I had read an email I had gotten that upset me a bit.  Not sad insomuch as upset about the lack of respect shown during it and that it was a slap in the face, a kick while I was down.  So I went into the session with less focus and more on my mind.  Bryan Tweed was giving the talk and he wanted us to think only on the now.  Not on the past because it's done, move on.  And not on the future, because, well, it's the future.  But think about the now, about right now.  I went in worried about what was going to happen due to the email I had gotten.  One that could prove to change so much and affect my attitude greatly.  But I was worried about what it was going to do.  The situation wasn't going to affect me right now, it was going to affect me within the week.  The horse isn't worried about the future.  He isn't thinking about what the

owner/rider/human was going to do to him tomorrow or in 5 minutes.  He was only worried about what the owner was going to do to him right now.  We were asked to observe the horse as he freely walked about the arena and then just think about whatever thoughts came to our head.  Some thought of his curiousity, his fun nature as he rolled, the way he walked, did he move freely.  As Bryan asked the horse to move, I thought of how the horse wasn't worried about Bryan "might" do to him, only that he was asking him to move on right NOW.  And that applied so much to my situation.  I needed to get that situation/problem out of my head and just enjoy and think about what was going on right now.  I'd like to say that I started to think about the now and less about the future right then and there but I didn't.  I definitely worried about it for a few days and then took steps to prepare for it.  While all I wanted to do was tell this person that what they did hurt and that what they did made me continue to feel small and belittled, I didn't due to the person involved but I also wasn't willing to go down totally silently.  (And a recent blog post from a Mr. Mongoose Krafty came to mind in which he had to deal with a superior not treating him well and that helped me think through my situation....so thank you!)  Now, through a crazy series of events and conversations, what I had dreaded coming actually ended up working in my favor.  I had an unlikely ally come to my "defense" and while I spent a lot of time working on making the situation okay for myself, it turned out I didn't need to do any of that anyways.  Even if it hadn't turned out my way, I still was prepared to stand my thoughts and feelings but prepared to also take the situation and be okay with it.  What a great reminder of not fretting and freaking out when we first receive news.  And a great reminder to not worry about the future and to think about and enjoy the NOW.  God's already on the other side, looking back at us, saying, "Come on.  I'm already here.  You don't need to worry."

Casting Crowns "Already There"