I’m NOT a selfie guy. I never have been. I never will be. I can count on one hand how many photos I’ve taken of myself. I’m pretty sure they were all sent to my wife so that doesn’t even count as a selfie, in my book.
Selfies, for those who don’t know, are photos taken of yourself – typically for the purpose of posting on social media. They are stupid, annoying, and unnecessary. They are also dangerous, apparently.
But, I took a video of myself (see above) a few days ago while walking around my in-law’s property in Costa Rica. I was huffing and puffing a bit since I was hiking at roughly 4,000-feet elevation. It was tough for this Florida flat-lander to catch my breath while going up and down those paths.
It was worth it to visit a special place.
I posted the video to the Finding Joy Beyond The Headlines Facebook and YouTube pages. I thought it was important. I spoke about how the way we carry ourselves and interact with others is a powerful form of outreach for our faith. I showed off the “prayer rock” which the family’s property caretaker built up and beautified with flowers for my wife. On one of our past trips, the caretaker, Claudio, noticed my wife reading her bible. He took it upon himself to make a special place for her to read and pray when we visited the farm in Costa Rica. It’s a rock surrounded by flowers.
It’s nothing fancy but it doesn’t need to be fancy to be effective.
I shot the video explaining the reason for the rock, but it got me thinking about how we don’t do this in ‘normal life’. I know we have a bolder to perch on during prayer time whenever we travel 1,000+ miles to visit family in Central America. That rock becomes a destination for interaction with our Creator. It’s great for Costa Rica! But, what happens when I’m not there?
Where do I go then?
The problem I face, and I’m sure many of us face, is that I do a lot of talking ABOUT God instead of talking TO God. That ain’t great. Faith’s foundation is built on relationship with Christ. For that relationship to flourish, you must connect. My wife and I connect best when face to face. Random chats over the phone just don't compare. It's the same with God. Separation causes consternation. We're much more likely to seek God in the same place each day (ideally at the same time).
Our relationships with Christ could benefit from having consistent connection in consistent environments. The prayer rock in Costa Rica is our go-to spot while on vacation. I need to find a go-to spot while here at home. I need a specific time and specific place to meet with my heavenly Father. That’s the only way to keep our relationship sparking. I’m going to work on that.
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