When things get bumpy, go higher!

On our flight returning home from our recent vacation/getaway we experienced moderate to severe turbulence.  We were flying from Orlando to Dallas last Saturday evening. An extreme cold front was moving in and as we flew back home we had to keep our seat belts fastened then entire trip.  The pilot would come on the speakers and warn us right before a very bumpy 5 to 15 minutes were beginning and instruct the attendants to take their seats as well.  I know from reading that turbulence is not to be feared but it is disconcerting nonetheless!  Finally after about 3 episodes of moderate to severe turbulence was endured, the pilot came on and told us he was seeking clearance to go higher, to take us up to an elevated altitude above and "find us some smoother air!"
Isn't that how we feel sometimes?  We are trying to reach our destination, we are living our life, pursuing our goals, and life can sometimes get moderately to severely bumpy!  It can even be scary regardless of our knowledge that bumpiness is to be expected and most endure it successfully, it can still be scary.  Isn't it also true in life, that if we look up, if we seek God as our life pilot, and trust Him to find us higher smoother air, He will!
Psalm 61:1- 2 "Hear my cry Oh God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I."

Focus on being in the moment!

Bill and I enjoyed being able to take a week off to rest, relax, and recharge at Disney World last week!  We celebrated his 54th birthday on December 30th, then my 55th birthday January 1st, and our 32nd Anniversary on January 2nd!
I left home with a goal to make a conscious effort to "be in the moment" for the duration of our getaway.  I didn't take my laptop or my Canon Rebel camera.  I also was resolved to not constantly be checking my iPhone.  I had a goal to not stress over anything and to finish a book while there.  I enjoyed two spa visits while Bill golfed and we did lots of power walking, which I love!  I had a goal to only take a minimal number of pictures this trip and that what I photographed had to be something I hadn't photographed before on previous trips.
We bought into the Disney Vacation Club 7 years ago and have paid it off a while back.  We earn our airline miles on reward cards so all our trips really cost us is our food while there and we would have to eat even if we stayed home!  God is so good!  We save up cash before each trip and have money in hand and budgeted for food, excursions, spa, golf, and souvenirs before we go.  If we spend less than we budgeted we celebrate that as a win!  It's like a really fun game, planning, anticipating, and then going!
I achieved my goal to "be in the moment" everyday of this trip.  I didn't check my phone constantly like I had gotten into the habit of and the benefit of that exercise is that I am now continuing to do less obsessive checking of my phone, e-mails, social media, and texts.  I am not anxious anymore when I haven't checked it for over an hour or more!
During the week at Disney I savored every meal with my husband and enjoyed talking, laughing and looking at each other instead of our phones!  I enjoyed every ride, show, and fireworks display to the fullest since I wasn't fretting about filming or photographing it!  I observed thousands of park guests who were so caught up in doing what I was making a conscious effort to not do, that it was amusing!  The people walking around with their large ipads videoing everything were particularly amusing and sometimes even annoying!  It is not good manners to hold your big ipad up high to video an entire show with other people behind you!  It was even sad to see those who chose to video the fantastic firework and laser evening shows on the big ipads and watch the shows through their iPad instead of being in the moment and enjoying the glorious shows and displays with their own eyes!  Who is going to watch their video anyway!  hahahahaha!  Oh well, I hope they get to go back another trip and do all their favorite things without focusing on their phone, camera, and or iPad.  Disney World is known as "The Most Magical Place on Earth" and for me, this last trip was truly magical!  I slowed down to savor every second.  I breathed in every smell and there are lots of wonderful smells there!  I stopped and watched every show and stopped to look at every gorgeous vista I came upon to see with my own eyes instead of a lens of a camera or iPad!  I took more time to eat slowly and to taste what I was eating!
I hope I can hold on to this new determination and conscious effort to be in the moment and take life in with focus, calm, and joy! From this point forward,  I want to observe and take life in "with my whole heart!"   Psalms 119:34 says, "Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yes, I shall observe it with my whole heart."