The Simplicity of a Small Town Visit...







"Life, too, is like that.  You live it forward, but understand it backward." - Unknown

On October 25th, I traveled back in time.  My destination was a place I visited often as a little girl.  The small town of Celina, Texas was one of my favorite places to be when I was young.  If I close my eyes, I can still hear the loud laughter of my precious grandmother.  I can remember the beautiful farmland surrounding Mamaw and Papaw's house.  The shadows dancing on that land, as the sun went down each evening, brought me such peace.  I can still hear the loud roaring whistle of the train coming through town. As darkness fell over this sleepy place, the train whistle was a gentle reminder that the day was almost done.

This visit, on a beautiful day in October, looked different.  For the first time in his life, Papaw had no idea his daughter and granddaughter would be visiting.  He had no advanced knowledge that we would be waiting for him at his favorite place, the Celina Drug Store, when he arrived that morning.  Indeed, this day was unique.  This was the day of his 94th birthday.  In the precious moments ahead of us, it was our greatest desire to spend a day following in the footsteps of this great man, settling into his routine and celebrating along the way.

Papaw's days almost always begin at the Celina Drug Store.  Year after year, a few gather each morning to simply share life.  Their conversations reflect big issues, small "stuff" and everything in between.  For those precious hours, they focus on the simple joys of fellowship.  Laughter, love and hope weave a beautiful pattern into their dialogue.  Thank you, Jesus when we "season our words" to one another with hints of joy and love.

Our next stop was the Senior Citizen's Center.  A purposeful meeting place, this destination is the home of the "Golden Oldies" volleyball league.  In a flash, I found myself sitting in a chair, looking over a net, focusing on a simple set of 3 instructions:
Stay in your seat.
Try to hit the ball over the net.
Remember, we have no other rules.

For this one hour, I had but one responsibility.  So many times in a day, we find our hearts and souls focused on too much.  Silencing the worldly noise becomes overwhelming.  God rejoices when we shift our gaze, ever so slightly, to focus on the joy and beauty in the moments right before us.  He celebrates when our focus on Him becomes greater than anything else we face in our days. As the hour passed, more love, laughter and joy dominated the game.  Thank you, Jesus for times like these.

Taking a step back in time settled my soul and reminded me of the peace one can experience in the simple, every day moments of life.  What does the day before you look like?  Are you feeling pulled in 1,000 different directions?  I feel the same way, too.  In the moments before you, take a step back in time and do something an "old-fashioned" way.  Love on those around you with your words.  Engage in meaningful conversations.  Be a listener.  Silence the worldly noise.  Focus on the joy and beauty right before you.  Amen.

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