My Social Media-less Life

Today would be my dad’s 53rd birthday, and as I do every Sunday morning, I went to church.

Since we’re still in Colorado, my best friends and I went to Legacy Church, pastored by Jeremy Pearsons. The story of how we found the church and then decided it was worth going during our vacation is one of the oldest tricks in the book: word of mouth.

It either started with my mom or my brother watching and listening, and then I finally started watching and listening, and then I got Rachel into it, and finally Esther started since we began planning the trip.

Either way, no one was mad about the arrangement, and it was a really good, applicable sermon in total.

Even though I knew I would probably be thinking about my dad a lot this weekend since it’s his birthday weekend, I didn’t realize how much until I sat down to start writing this. As I get older, I realize my parents both loved to go adventuring, but my dad LOVED to go adventuring, and would sometimes go by himself if he couldn’t always find an adventure buddy.

But of course, adventures are best when shared with friends. 😉

This weekend, and especially yesterday with traveling halfway up Pikes Peak and down, was all a big adventure I didn’t know I needed and would love so much.

Also, you know how sometimes you spend a lot of time with a person and then you get tired of them and just want to be alone, if only for a little bit?

I’ve had none of that this weekend.

And a little shamefully… I expected that desire to be alone to happen.

I’m spending time with the two people I consider my best friends (who aren’t my mom 😉 ) and I was expecting to want to be alone.

That doesn’t sound like good “best friend” vibes.

In so many ways this weekend, this trip was a growing experience for me. I am learning how to crochet, and I had to get over my pride and ask for help. I’m working on a tight budget, and again, I had to be willing to ask for help. I’m learning how to drive my vehicle in a lower gear and I have to ask for help.

I try to be open with friends, but I’m realizing that being open and asking for help are two different things, and require different parts of me to die.

But in the end, I am still dying.

And of course, death brings me back to my dad… but it also reminds me of Jesus and His death and resurrection.

Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice by giving up His life, so I can certainly give up my pride and my sense of living by asking for help from two people I trust the most. Because if I can’t give trust, how can I expect it to be given in return?

Sometimes, I think that’s what my dad missed the most… and I want to be sure I don’t make that same mistake.