I was ready to roll. To the gym.
Workout clothes. Check.
Nylon backpack. Check.
Membership card. Check.
Off I went.
Upon arrival, I parked in a space close to the glass door so as to guard against over-exercising before I ever reached the treadmill or the mat. I dug my key fob, membership card, and phone from my purse and dropped them all into the side-pocket on my backpack.
Ready!
I popped the car door open then turned to step out onto the asphalt. That’s when my feet came into view.
Slippers. I saw slippers. Not the “gym shoes” I had carefully coordinated with my fitness gear. The shoes I’d left behind, on my bedroom floor.
Now before you fall on the tile laughing at my faux pas, you might want to fess up. You may not have arrived at the gym or workplace or dentist’s office slapping your slippers on the pavement, but you can’t tell me you’ve never blundered; never embarrassed yourself with a mistaken word or a committed or omitted action. Can you?
Please tell me you have a story. I hate to think I’m the only one out there generating embarrassing moments.
Note to self: 1) Keep an extra pair of tennis shoes in the tote bag. 2) Mind the checklist, after adding shoes to it.
Distraction happens, right? At our hurried and harried pace, it’s easy to forget what’s important. That’s true in our daily tasks and routines, and in the relationship at the center of our well-being, the One that matters most.
Distractions happen, right? At our hurried and harried pace, it's easy to forget what's important. Click To TweetIf I haven’t done first things first and tended to my spiritually ready to roll checklist, I’m not truly ready for my next step. With or without shoes.
I’m talking here about the emotional, mental, and spiritual readiness that comes from the roots I have put down and tended in my relationship with my heavenly Father, Lord and Savior, and the Holy Spirit.
“He says, ‘Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’” Psalm 46:10 NIV
Being still before my heavenly Father and surrendering to His leading doesn’t mean that I won’t forget to pull off my slippers and sink my feet into my gym shoes before I leave the house, but it does reset my heart and mind on the One who is for me and has the power to guide me and transform me.
Before I roll out of bed, interact with family members, head to my desk, or drive to the grocery store, I need to consider my first things first ready to roll checklist.
- Go to God in prayer.
2. Anchor my heart and mind in His Word, the Bible.
3. Surrender my agenda and agree to be open to His plan and leading. Sometimes for me, that involves driving back home for the shoes giving myself time to take a phone call from a friend in need of prayer.
Any time is a good time for a checklist check-up!
If you have a faux pas you’d like to get off your conscience, please share it with us in the comments. Laughter is good for us. And no sense any of going through life thinking we’re the only ones embarrassing ourselves.
Comments 3
Good reminders to start the day being still with God. And not forgetting to laugh!! I haven’t worn my slippers, to the gym but have forgotten my shoes altogether!
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Hey, Loree. Great to hear from you. Thanks for following me, and thanks for the chuckle and encouragement.
Enjoyed this Mona. Thanks for sharing it.