Headwinds

The commitment was made, and I am willing to say that it is now habitual. Some say that habits take 21 days to form. I have always questioned that statement based on my own experience. But it’s now been 57 days, and I would miss my daily walk so I think I can safely call this a habit.

The weather has been very cooperative for this quest. I am grateful. But, if you’ve noticed, the seasons are changing, and fall is giving way to those darkest of days, winter. Arrival is imminent.

Since walks typically begin early in the day, temps and wind are now factors to be reckoned with. I find myself checking the app for current conditions and making decisions based on wind direction more often. I have several favorite ‘routes’ through this town of 5,000. If it’s a ‘particularly cool’ morning and the wind is coming from the north, I will decide that traveling north for 2 blocks at the start will be my best path forward. Yes, that first tenth of a mile will be chilly, but then I won’t face the wind again for more than a mile and the last 6 north-facing blocks will be more tolerable as I will be warmed from the exercise.

This was the decision I made the other day. Music turned up, the tracking app opened, and I traversed cracked sidewalks covered with leaves with downward-looking eyes. Thirty minutes gives me plenty of time to ponder.

I thought about headwinds and how I’d prefer to avoid them for a more pleasant stroll. That led to considering air travel and I thought how nice it is to get to a destination faster than predicted due to tailwinds to say nothing of the fuel savings. So then, tailwinds good, headwinds bad.

But then I remembered that without a headwind, it's harder for a plane to get the lift required to leave the ground. It is also more favorable to land flying into the wind as well. Yin-yang, perhaps.

Further thoughts put me smack in the middle of my constant attempt to live more like Jesus. Sorry if I hurt your neck with this one. Here’s the mental picture involved here.

We’re human so following the ideal is going to come with headwinds. It’s just a fact that a spiritual life collides with everyday human life.

These ‘headwinds’ (culture, fear, anger, selfishness, ingratitude, and more) are obstacles to our desired relationship with God.

When we ‘work’ on this relationship, we encounter breakthroughs – we turn a corner so to speak. We are no longer facing the winds directly as we walk. And occasionally, we experience the fullness of our desires and have the winds at our back.

If we pay attention and plan our route well, we will have fewer headwinds and the possibility of more tailwinds. If we ‘check the app’, if we make conscious choices to minimize headwinds, we’ll have an easier walk with God.

And yet, I wonder about that yin-yang thing. What might we gain in life and relationships if we consider that headwinds can also be a good thing? They challenge us. They can help us get the lift we need to discover and to be transformed. Overcoming these oppositional forces can be exhilarating and encouraging as well.

I offer no answers - just impressions. Maybe we should think about this a little more. Maybe I should just go fly a kite. You choose.

Before you go, I have an announcement.

Sandals and a Stick is evolving! And this will happen in 12 days. Things are in progress and steadily becoming more stable. Testing has begun and issues are being resolved. I pray that I'll meet my self-proclaimed deadline. I hope that at least some of you will be intrigued and even excited with me as I launch these unique, inspiring, and fun 30-second daily videos. In the past, you've been exposed to them when published in this format.

It's been on my mind for quite some time now, but since I resigned from my 'real job' 58 days ago, I have been working on this concept. I look forward to the launch date admittedly with a bit of anxiety as well. November 1 is almost here.

If you agree to allow a bit of grace as the final touches are not yet completed, take a look at the new website. It's bare bones for the most part which is by design. You'll notice the updated look of these blog postings as well as a subscription page for the videos.

I welcome your comments and suggestions.

Thank you in advance for your prayers!

Sandals and a Stick - Website