My Social Media-less Life

Last weekend, I had the honor of going to my favorite area of Colorado for the 5th time. This was my third time going for a women’s conference, and it seems as though every time I go for a conference, I fall more in love with the area.

Obviously, I love visiting, but something about the conferences seem to make it more… desirable than when I go to visit and explore.

To be fair, maybe this next trip I go to visit will prove me wrong.

But for now… boy, do I miss those mountains.

One of my friends said something on Sunday before church: “I almost want to move here so I could look at the mountains all the time, but I’d probably get used to them after a while.”

Since it was a passing comment, I wasn’t going to make it anything more than that, but I mentally disagreed with her. I’ve always loved the mountains. They fascinate me and I love to look at them. Do I want to climb them? I mean, not like a hiker… I would just drive up (and did about 2/3 of Pikes Peak one year), but I also love looking out at creation from that great height of “I can’t breathe without a little extra help.” 😛

Since we left Pikes Peak in my rearview mirror Sunday afternoon, I find my mind wandering back not just to the lessons I learned at the conference and the friends I reconnected with over the weekend, but also the mountains.

Just… the mountains.

There are those stickers and memes and whatever else that say something like, “The mountains are calling,” and until recently I haven’t felt the call so strongly.

On the flip side…

I also haven’t gotten a call to leave Kansas City. And that was one lesson that was taught a lot during the women’s conference: knowing when a new call is being made for your life and answering it in the appropriate time and way.

I may feel the mountains calling… but it may only be just an emotional calling because they are so majestic and hard to say no to…

Or it may be more than that.

But a little under 12 years ago, I left for Kansas City simply on the premise that I didn’t want to be in Junction City anymore and I ruined almost every non-familial relationship I had during the move. I won’t be making that mistake twice.

The Lord did not call me to burn bridges simply because I think I know better than Him what timing works for my life. He called me to follow Him and His leading.

I am a sheep; HE is the Shepherd.

His timing is always perfect. As I proved tonight at a local school’s play practice where I’m learning the technical things as a backup… my timing tends to be far too early.

So fret not, fellow Kansas City friends. Erica isn’t going anywhere for a while. If at all.

My daily mantra from the Lord has been the same: “Grow where you’re planted.”

However… if I check out of a conversation and get a dreamy look in my eyes… I’m probably thinking about those majestic mountains again.