"Normal" isn't all bad.

Before you know it, life has settled in and all that you claimed was “exciting”… or “weird”… or “new”… becomes normal. 

I left the grocery store today in the rain-wearing a blue poncho-holding 2 bags that I somehow got to hang on a hook-all the while wearing a snazzy little helmet and barely having a place to put my feet.  I took my time and strolled out into the somewhat chaotic, rainy road and headed home.  And all of a sudden I thought, “Since when did THIS become normal?!”

Here I am, 10 months later, living in Cambodia where 85 degrees is cool and makes me want to wear a cardigan.  I have no idea when it all became normal to me.

It doesn’t happen in one instant, but it’s rather a slow gradual process.

We hear “normal” though and it makes us bored.  Like we are doing something mundane or living a day in, day out kind of job that doesn’t matter or affect anyone. 

Not true.

As crazy as it seems, my life in Cambodia can seem normal, mundane, and “boring”.  But then I’m reminded of a bigger picture and an important vision.  And hopefully, we are ALL apart of a bigger something.

Can I encourage you to do your daily tasks and jobs with commitment, seriousness, and hopefulness.  Sure-typing letters-sending emails-creating excel sheets-or even teaching a foreigner how to use present continuous tense seems unimportant… but there is something bigger and you are helping reach that goal. 

I’ve been living in a haze the past month or so, and luckily Jeff Goins’ book Wrecked has spoken to me at the best possible time in my life.  I find myself reading it and then shouting out loud “Finally!!  Someone who is verbalizing what is IN MY HEAD!  THANK YOU!! “

Yes, the little things matter.  The conversations, the small moments, the prayers, and the dedication.

Stay committed.  Stay real.   Push yourself out of the valley and remind yourself of why you started in the first place.  I saw this snazzy quote on pinterest (of course you did, Abby) last week: “When you feel like quitting, think about why you started.”

Oh.  And here’s a quote from his book.  If you’re not already wrecked, you will be after reading it.

“One, I’ve learned that an adventure is not an end to itself but a means to something bigger. Two, when work feels mundane (because it probably is), I remind myself that I am disciplining myself—learning to put off short-term gratification for long-term joy.”