Today I’m getting up early to drive six and half hours north.
I’ll drive through Los Angeles in the dark. It will probably be sunny by the time I pass the exit for 99 which would take me through Bakersfield and Fresno.
And I will be on Interstate 5 for
a
long
time.
By myself.
With just my thoughts and a few podcasts, a cup of tea and the fog.
Can I tell you what I’m looking forward to the most?
It’s not leaving these two little girls or the husband who protects and takes care of us for five days. I hate that part of it. It isn’t even the long weekend reconnecting with my friends who are authors and agents and every other type of good writing thing.
I’m looking forward to the thinking.
That sounds all philosophical and deep, but in all honesty, when my life is busy like it has been I do not have the time to think through my life. For me thinking includes praying and talking with God and asking for wisdom
and asking questions expecting answers.
When my life is filled full like a glass of milk that my four-year-old pours, the liquid straining at the air threatening to spill over the sides, I don’t have any time to just think.
I need to think to write.
I need to think to communicate well.
I need to think to teach and to connect with my daughters.
I need time to think in order to be a good wife.
Most of the time my life leaves no margins to do the slow introspection that I need. It does not come quick. It comes in the long highway in front of me. It comes in the 45 minutes I take to walk the dog in the trails near my house. It comes in the long walk on the beach that I couldn’t sacrifice the time for last week (but oh, the pay off!).
Thinking.
So today, I’m thinking. And hopefully coming up with new ideas for old problems and fresh inspiration for tired words. I’d like to make friends with myself all over again.
Challenge for the weekend: Take 30 minutes to think. Get alone. Get honest and let your mind try to churn out solutions to the problems you never have time to solve during the week. You might be surprised at yourself.
Do you plan time into your schedule to think?
I feel the same way, I wake up at 4:00 am so I have that time to myself with God and my thoughts so that I don’t forget who I am and Who’s I am. It is the only way to stay connected, I can’t rely on what I did yesterday for today, I need today’s time today. I need to visit with my Lord today to reconnect with Him today, to bow my knees to Him today. I hope you enjoy your ride and your weekend.
Cha Cha
Wow, Cha Cha! You must be a morning person. Or you’re very disciplined. I appreciate that!
Sounds like me. I need my alone time to be any good for anyone else. The car and my run are the best times to think. Here’s to a great thinking trip.
I do a lot of thinking, praying, and ruminating on spiritual or life matters while I’m in the car. It doesn’t really matter where I’m going or how long the trip. The quiet of the car (I usually leave the radio off) usually draws me into a quiet place. I also get up fairly early every day and spend that time thinking, praying, reading, writing.
Have a wonderful time of thinking and renewal on your weekend getaway.
I rise each morning, and go to my comfy chair, coffee at my side, journal in hand, listening to what the Lord would say. He often leads me to places I wouldn’t expect to think about and prepares me for the day ahead of me.
Without that time, we get lost and drifting we seem to get far from all that anchors us.
Be blessed as you travel and connect with the Source of all that that’s good.
I love going on long drives. It’s the time when I am closest to God – probably because there’s no one else to talk to.
I don’t schedule time every single day, but I take time when I can, and cherish every moment of it.
Sounds like it’s going to be a much needed weekend! Enjoy every moment!
I used to be like that. My life was so full that there really was no margin, no time to think or just be. While my youngest was sick, our schedule was at the mercy of the doctors and her illness. Now it is my oldest whose needs dictate that our lives have a lot of down time. I have learned to put a lot of margin into our every day lives. I learned to be so comfortable in the silences that sometimes I don’t even think, because all the thinking has been done. I would not wish the six years I spent learning this on anyone, but neither would I trade that lesson for anything. Find things to eliminate in your day to day. Find ways to have time to think. You will be glad you did.
I so need that right now…time to think through. Thanks for the reminder.
I don’t schedule time to think, but I should. I try to and something “comes up!” This afternoon is the beginning of spring break and my son and husband are going to Colorado for 5 days. I am so looking forward to this time alone to reconnect with my Father. My prayer life has been in the dumps and I have discovered that praying needs to be done daily in order to maintain the closeness and relationship with God. Thanks for the reminder! (and have some great thinking time yourself!!)
I plan too… this Monday!
I read a 5 part blog post on the Mars Hill Church website by Mark Driscoll who talks about the importance for a day of Solitude. A WHOLE DAY!!!!
I can barely slow myself down for 30 min. let alone 8 hours. But, I’m going to do it… Monday. I’m prepping my heart for my solitude (no interruptions what-so-ever) with the LORD.
I hope you feel filled, rejuvenated, and inspired this weekend – as you take your time to think.
Be bless, Sarah!
Usually my my thinking comes at the end of the day when I rest my head on my pillow and attempt to drift off to the land of dreams. It makes for a rather annoying way to fall asleep. Those are the times when an entire new blog post writes itself in my head only to be forgotten as the rays of the sun ignite the day on fire.
I will occasionally turn the radio/iPod off on my way to or from work. Just for silence. It’s much easier just to drown out the voices in my head, even with Jesus centered music.
I will take your challenge. Praying that God speaks as you drive. As you worship alone in your car.
I have a 45 minute commute to work, and I spend that time thinking, praying, and worshiping. It’s (now) my favorite times of the day!
i need more time to think =/ i need more time to myself.
long drives do help me become friends with myself again. i live 30 min. from everywhere so whenever i go i have time to to think… that is if the kids are quiet.
enjoy your time.
I try to have a solitude retreat twice a year where I go to a hotel at the beach by myself just to think/pray/process. I LOVE it. Just started this last year. However my new revelation is that I need to “ruthlessly eliminate hurry” by simplifying and creating margins in my life and in my days. I may “accomplish” less but but the quality of my life will be better. I have a good friend that says w/out this kind of time for solitude we “react” instead of “respond”. So true. Great post and I am praying you find just what you need during these 5 days:)
If you fail to think, you think to fail…or wait, what? No no no. That’s planning! haha
I don’t usually take time out of my day to just think, but I love to think when I’m in the car and in the bathroom. Before I go into the TMI category, the bathroom is truly one of the only places where I’m totally alone. And when I’m in a hot shower (my temperature of choice), it’s just me and my thoughts. I cherish those times because I can think through a lot. Some of my best thoughts come through those times!