Lent Day Thirty Eight - Peace in Sudsy Water

I enjoy reading memoirs.  Books written by regular people who share their lives.  I generally take something away from every book I read.  So when I read the book Eat, Pray, Love I was hopeful that I would learn something about myself and my own journey.  Instead I was left frustrated.  I thought, well of course this author found some peace.  If I had the time and money to travel the world by myself I imagine I would find what I was looking for as well.

But I have a husband, kids and a house that need tending to…how could I possibly travel to Italy, India and Indonesia?  I found it difficult to set aside one day, never mind one year to focus on my spiritual journey.  So I gave up on the idea that I could ever find a sense of inner peace.

Fortunately for me, God did not give up.  He continued to work on me, eventually bringing me to a place where I knew the right thing to do was to give up drinking for awhile.   And from there I went even further by choosing to give up for Lent anything that I was using to replace God.  And now, I am in a different place.

So I was wrong.  I didn’t have to go anywhere, or change my lifestyle.  I didn’t have to leave my family and my responsibilities behind.  I didn’t even have to set aside time for meditation.  At least not in any formal sense. 

What I did do, however, was turn off my radio while I was in the car.  And God spoke to me there.  And I turned off my TV while I folded laundry, and God spoke to me there.  And I turned off my iPod while I washed dishes and God spoke to me there.

And I learned something…

God is not just in ashrams or churches.   He’s not halfway around the world from here.  He’s anywhere I choose to look for Him.