Showing Up

Yesterday as I rode my bike to the Chapel for Bible study with my two little ducklings, I was reminded of an important lesson: sometimes the victory in our day is simply in the “showing up.”

I joke a lot that if we arrive at a destination on time and appropriately dressed we have achieved victory. This is true many times. Life can be challenging and roadblocks show up (most of us have experienced Sunday morning stress – and those with children get a “special” dose some days), but we persevere. We show up, ready for whatever. This is victory, for sure, but yesterday the victory was much bigger than that.

As we cruised down the trail headed for the Chapel, I looked at the two kiddos in front of me – the nine-year-old who thought for sure she needed to lead because that was her job in life and the six-year-old who wanted to chat about every tree and flower along the way, just happy to be outside. Watching them makes my heart melt – now that I don’t worry so much about them crashing in the street in front of a car.

Under the shade of the trees along the edge of the golf course with my sweet children in front of me, the “showing up” had nothing to do with our destination. It had everything to do with being present in our current location. Listening to their words, seeing their faces, enjoying their company, this was the victory yesterday.

I think this is a lesson I have to be reminded of many times. I am a “doer” by nature, always intent on the objective. Yes, victory does come when God does amazing things, when we arrive at a destination despite Satan’s distractions along the way, but sometimes the victory is in the journey. Are we present in today? In this moment?

Reading a book lately called Visioneering by Andy Stanley, he talks a lot about the visions God gives us for ministry and for our family. We all long to see our marriages grow, our children following our Savior faithfully, businesses and ministry prosper, others come to know the Jesus we do, but those things don’t come by accident. God gives us a vision for those things and we pursue it. The way we pursue it is just as important to God than the vision itself. Maintaining peace and joy, healthy relationships, and noble character are all in the pursuit. They are also what others see.

We have visions and dreams of what our families, relationships, ministries, whatever could and should look like. These are wonderful, but we mustn’t forget the journey.

As we talk to our husbands, children, friends, do we see them? Are we engaged in the conversation? Do we intentionally become a part of their world? How do you focus both on the vision and the journey together?

Sometimes the victory can be in the destination, but showing up in the journey is just as vital. It was a simple reminder yesterday in the beauty of the duckling bike ride. I plan to show up today.