Everywhere Holy by Kara LawlerSample

Once, when we were on a trip to the beach with my parents, my kids kept asking, “Where are we?” and, “Are we there yet?” 

My father said, “We are right where we are to be. Where else would we be?” He’s right. By remembering that we’re right where we’re to be, maybe we can finally understand that life isn’t meant to be rushed through. Maybe we can finally stop overextending ourselves in order to prove ourselves worthy because the most important thing is to appreciate the now. 

I did that for too long—that chaotic shuffle for approval, the forgetting to be right where I am—and I grew tired of it. I suspect you’re tired of it. 

Now, being right where I am to be means listening to our ducks quack and watching the deer and children play. These are small. but essential steps. 

Sure, I might have shoes discarded in my yard and too many papers piled on the counter. My list might be long, just like yours. Yes, I still might overextend myself, saying yes instead of no, like I’m sure you sometimes do, but I’m learning to take the time to look at what this life really is. 

It begins with noticing the seemingly ordinary moments of life, the washing of the eggs or even staring out a window at construction equipment. Seeing these small things as a way to see God everywhere is a way to welcome holiness and to see the life you’ve been given as good enough. It’s all around, in the end, but we need to start by seeing it in our own places, right where we’re to be.