Not Just a Missing Person...

Today being Sunday, I thought I'd ramble on about something a bit more on the "spiritual" side of things - something that I've had on my mind a lot lately.

The other day I saw a bumper sticker that said:

"Some days all I want to be is a missing person."

I laughed; which, I assume, was the reaction that was warranted from the sticker, but it's stuck with me for a while now.

After my initial reaction, I started thinking that there are days when I feel exactly the same way. After all, a missing person is constantly being sought after. There is a lot of attention paid to finding that person who is missing. Don't we all have days when we feel like we're that bowl of leftover, cold oatmeal waiting to be found and reheated (or thrown away - because even then someone would be paying attention to us!?). I know I certainly have had days when I wondered if there really was someone out there who knew where I was and what I was doing - and not in that creepy way that you hear about on television.

Then it hit me. I DO know who I am, where I came from, and what my purpose is here on this earth. Instead of wondering when it's my turn to be a missing person and have someone to search for - perhaps I need to find that person who feels like a missing person. I know that I have a Father in Heaven who knows me intimately. He knows who I am and what I'm doing. He knows my needs. He hears those personal, private conversations that I have with my husband - and the needs that I have and concerns that I have; He passes on some of those needs to other people who can best help me. If you REALLY think deeply about it - God is the ultimate Stalker, Eavesdropper, and Philanthropist. And NONE of that is creepy. He watches over us. He listens to us. He gives us things that we need; and if we really wanted to know, He tells us that too!

The whole point here is that none of us truly is a missing person. We may have days when we feel like we WANT to be a missing person - with someone to look for us and to try to find us. We're not, however, truly lost. We have someone who knows where we are at all times. All we have to do is to ask. And on those days when I feel like I want to be a missing person - really all I want to do is to be a runaway. Far, far away from my problems and the life I've created for myself - no matter how good I think it may be. So... instead of having a bumper sticker that reads:

"Some days all I want to be is a missing person..."

Perhaps we should have bumper stickers that read:

"Some days I just want to be a runaway..."

Unfortunately for the runaway (or perhaps it's fortunate...) there will still be someone who cares about you; someone who is always searching for you; and someone who wants what's best for you. And, unfortunately for the runaway - the problems that you're running away from will still be there when you get back. Only now, you've procrastinated working through them and perhaps they're a lot larger than they were.

For me, the "problems" that I would want to run away from aren't really problems - they're blessings with a trial attached. And there are days when I've wanted to give ALL my trials back to the Lord and tell him that I am on vacation. Problem with that is this: If I give all my trials back, I also have to give back the blessings that come with the trials. The personal growth. The learning. And the chance to NEVER DO THAT AGAIN! I think, in the long run, I'll take my trials any day.

And on those days when I just want to be a runaway - I've found that a long hot bath and a very heavy snowstorm in a cup are just what I need.