I remember when my boys were little, people would say that the days are long but the years are fast. They would say things like, “Don’t blink. You’ll wake up and they will be getting married and having babies of their own.” I remember imagining then what times exactly like this past week and half has been like when my boys were grown and we’d visit once they moved away…once the slow days became fast years.

I’ve been out in California visiting my son, daughter-in-love, and grandson for the past week and a half. Maybe the days were slow back then when my son who is now a father was a kid but oh, how fast these days have gone by with him and his sweet family. We have stayed up late, talking and laughing. We’ve walked on the beach and had lunch at Hotel Laguna which was picturesque. We’ve shopped Fashion Island in Newport Beach (a couple times tbh lol). We e-biked along Huntington Beach to Pacific City. We watched Aladdin, Mufasa, and Disney Sing Along from the Eighties dozens of times. Crew rode his new bike he got for Christmas up and down and all around the neighborhood. We ate at our favorite Italian spot just around the corner. Ordered in other times and cooked a little at home, too.

We went to church, played for hours in the floor, and read book after book. We spent time doing a whole lotta nuthin one full day. Gavin, Crew, and I spent time in the backyard giving Kenzie some quiet time one day. Another day, we walked to Back Bay, and even took a nap when Crew napped a time or two. We baked chocolate chip cookies one night but for the most part, we’ve eaten semi-clean and I have kept within my health goals while I’ve been out here.

During some of Crew’s naps, I worked on our personal budget, a few work to-dos, and mapped out my routine for when I return home so I can hopefully stay at a better, more realistic rhythm upon my return. The reason I am sharing all of this with you is because I want you to try and catch a glimpse of just how “Off” I’ve been and just how much of a needed unwinding this trip has been for me. Why? Because if you are anything like me and get wound tighter than a june bug, you know how hard it is to unwind from all the rush, rush, rush, and go, go, go.

Slowing down to the speed of a two year old is so refreshing. Totally different priorities become important. The next dirty diaper is the current problem to be solved instead of pastoral care emergencies. Rather than constantly having bills, deadlines, someone’s life altering situation on your mind, chasing infinity when it comes to how to do this and not that in order for the church to be all God has called it to be, you’re trying to decide if you will go to the park today or the beach or stay home and ride bikes.

Even the break from straining every faith muscle you have for someone’s miracle or your own. Not thinking about – is this what I need to be doing or the way I need to best say this as a leader or will I be able to juggle this day packed with more meetings than probably should be booked in a whole week?

None of that. Ahhhhh, if you find yourself wound tighter than a june bug, I hope you get to slow down to the pace of a two year old soon and recenter, realizing your world will be just fine without you for a few days or even a few weeks. And you will be much more enjoyable when you go back after having a breather. It never ceases to amaze me how much clearer my perspective becomes after a “get-away”.

I think that’s why I so believe in the Happy Girl Getaways we did last year and I’d love to do one later this year out here in Newport Beach area. There are a few of you girls who have let me know you are actively believing God to meet me out here. If anyone else is serious about that, email me at assistant@harvestmobile.com. Once I have enough interest, we will start planning the next one! I only need two to three more who are serious about going to the next level in who God has called you to be and taking some time away for a RESET in order to get clarity on what that is for you.

Until then, pray for your girl as I go back into the grind this week. I pray I will take some of this salty air home with me and remember to breathe it in, slow down more often, and get in more of a sustainable rhythm of grace. I’ll be praying for you also, that this blog inspires you to either take a break and get away if you need to and can or slow down and find a healthy rhythm that is more sustainable or both. I pray for slower days again like way back when and maybe even a little slower years, too.

Though these absolutely beautiful days that have gone by way too fast I’ve had out here are coming to a close, I’m going to soak up my last few hours and pray they creep by. I’ll be grateful for each day thereafter also with those I love back in Bama until I get to be back with these Cali Cooleys again soon.

Happy Monday!

PS…If you have family far away, I’ll pray you get to see them as often as your heart desires. Decide how often you want to see them and just do it. That’s what I did and it’s been so great to see how God has helped us be able to keep close and visit often, even with all the miles between us.