The Extra-Super-Spiritual Thing I Did Yesterday
Yesterday, Chris took Benjamin to school while Wyatt took his morning nap. I had a rare moment of silence. I glanced at my list of 3,482 things to do and put it away. Instead of turning on my turbos like I usually do, I sat down on the floor and painted my toenails. Wyatt kept sleeping, so I painted my fingernails too. I will not be inserting a well-framed picture of my mani/pedi and promoting self-care here. To tell you the truth, it looks like Benjamin painted my nails. I was trying to move quickly and am out of practice. But each stroke of vibrant color felt like I was claiming a little bit of myself back.
I've been operating at max capacity for a while. It's not a bad thing. It's a life thing. There are seasons that require you to go bare bones... or, heaven forbid, bare toes. There's been an oh-so-subtle change for me recently, however, and I'm craving feeling like myself as much as I crave sleeping an extra 30 minutes or eating something besides PBJ crust. I'm longing to think long enough to have something to write, stand in front of our beautiful church and talk to our family, have heart-to-heart connections, care for people, have painted nails and to be out and about again in our beautiful city.
So the extra-super-spiritual thing I did yesterday was actually to paint my nails. I didn't even do it well. But I did it. It might sound crazy, but that simple gesture was enough to lead my heart into the truest worship I've experienced in a long time. It was like pausing life's demands to do something different said, "Hey God. You're right. Chaos isn't king. You are. The world still turns without me. I just have to turn to You."
Sure, there are seasons for "serious" spiritual disciplines, and it's great to volunteer at church on Sundays. But, more often than not, our greatest spiritual acts of worship are the ones that reclaim who God made us to be - the intricate details that make you you and me me. It might be something big like ending a toxic relationship or taking a step toward breaking addiction. Or it might just be red toenails, singing out loud in the car, and drinking two cups of coffee in a row with your girlfriends. (That's what I did yesterday!)
You were made on purpose, with purpose, and were designed without flaw. Take one step back toward that design today, big or small, and relish in the goodness of your Maker. He makes no mistakes and delights in your delight.
