Out of Routine...the benefits of looking outside our norm

Well it has been almost a month since I've posted anything at all. It was an unintended blogging break, but life can definitely bring seasons of busyness and get us out of our routine. Let me state that I like my routine. Some may call it boring...in fact, several years ago I probably would have called it boring. But it suits me for this season of life. I know (basically) what to expect each day and I like that.

I wouldn't classify myself as a "routine" kind of person, but with a move, a baby, a job change, and a husband who is "on-call" 24-hours a day I have grown to savor that which I know to be stable. And while I may, at times, think wistfully of the days of yore when I could pack up at a moment's notice and head to the woods for a day hike or jump on public transportation and be downtown to sit and people watch...wondering who I might start up a conversation with today...most of the time I give a sigh of contentment when I have a happy baby and a somewhat organized home.

So this past month, with my routine out-of-whack for a variety of seen and unforeseen reasons, you might not find it hard to believe that this over-analytical mind of mine has been hard at work trying to figure out what I can learn from this. As I sit snuggled up back on "my" corner of the couch with coffee cup filled and laptop open on my lap, I am glad to be, for the moment, back in routine. However, I have been learning that sometimes we need to be taken outside of our "norm" to shake things up. I can tend to get too comfortable in my own little corner of the world. I live my life day in and day out and it is easy to keep my eyes turned towards my routine and miss opportunities that God may place before me outside of my paradigm.

I want to be open to the little adventures that God has for me in each day, but I have to be looking for them. So today, that is what I am going to do. I'll let you know how it turns out...and if you join me, I'd love to know what adventures may lay before you that are out of your routine as well.