When my boss encouraged me last week to relax and rest more in July since I had such a heavy travel schedule with weeks of "overtime" in the spring and more ahead this fall, I thought "If only I could!" Ironically, I signed up for a class to take this summer since I knew Europeans vacation now and expected to have a lighter workload. I've regretted it at times, realizing that I could really use a vacation. I used part of my vacation days for the trip to Israel, and as absolutely amazing as that trip was, it was not at all restful. On the contrary, it was quite strenuous. So, all I know to do is to take opportunities to slow the pace by taking walks on the beach and making sure I spend quality time with the Lord which does refresh me when I can slow down enough to rest in His presence.
So, I went to the beach yesterday in an attempt to slow down and step away from all of the various responsibilities weighing on me. A bit frazzled, I immediately turned my ringer off so that I would not be interrupted as I walked and prayed. Though I was tired, I walked all the way to the end of the beach and had gotten almost all the way back when I realized that my phone was no longer in my hand. Panic, frustration at myself, bewilderment as to how could I possibly have dropped it and not realized (because I never set it down), and dread as I considered my options. All I knew to do was re-trace my steps; so, tired as I was, I set forth. This time my prayers were about finding my phone.
As I returned to my starting point empty-handed, I had been rehearsing next steps like wiping the data and having to get a new phone, trying not to give into feelings of defeat. Circumstances told me it was a lost cause, but my prayer connection wasn't lost; and I sensed that the Lord was instructing me to go and ask the people nearby. I didn't really want to, but conceded, approaching the ladies in the group. When I asked if they'd seen my phone, they expressed compassion though they hadn't seen it. When one lady brightened up with an idea to call it, I soberly confessed that I had turned the ringer off. She could still call it, though, in case someone had it, she said. Why not? And though no one answered, it turned out to be a good call because her phone rang within 10 seconds with the guy who'd found my phone on the line! He described his location at the very end of the beach, which I drove to this time, full of thanks and amazement. Apparently he had asked Siri to call my sister who had last texted my phone and let her know that he had it; so she knew where it was even when I didn't. It was just lying on the sand next to the water! (I still have no idea how it happened without me knowing).
It was a good lesson to me of being in tune with the Lord. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have approached random strangers to help me. It was also a good lesson of the importance of getting help from others. Though I prayed for probably an hour and searched for my phone in the places I knew that it should be, I wasn't the one who found my phone. It took being vulnerable and asking for others' help and listening to their advice for me to "find" it.
Something else that is neat about the story is that despite my annoyance and frustration, I wasn't worried about the phone. In fact, I even felt guilty for not being more concerned about such a valuable possession. A couple of times, I had to reassure myself that worrying wouldn't help me find my phone, but I just didn't worry. Come to find out, when my sister who was also at a beach praying (great twins think alike) learned what had happened, she had prayed that I wouldn't worry.
Today I reached out to some friends for prayer about my situation of feeling overcommitted at a time when I want and even need more rest. While my circumstances may not necessarily change, I can already notice a change in my perspective.
