Time flies when you’re having fun

The biggest lesson I learned in this first month of the World Race in El Salvador is to live every second to the fullest. Every. SECOND. Compared to most people I thought I was really good at this, I mean come on, I’m on the World Race. I take advantage of every opportunity and do it cheerfully.

Looking in from the outside I think most people would think time here was awesome (which it totally was) and that I took advantage of everything I could have. While I do take advantage of 99.9% of life’s adventures, I look back on my time here, and in addition to all of the incredible memories I’ll take with me, I remember the very few things I chose not to do. The little internal nudges from the Holy Spirit that I chose to ignore. That one lady I could’ve prayed for in the cemetery. That one time at recess out of 20 that I chose to relax on the sideline. You get the idea.

While I refuse to dwell on these things, I’m grateful that I’ve learned this lesson early. We’ve all heard the saying, “in life you’ll regret the things you didn’t do, never the things you did,” and I believe that wholeheartedly. I think I have a next level understanding after this month.

I’ve learned that it’s important to interact with people as if you’ll never see them again. Don’t leave things unsaid. Don’t withhold compliments or constructive criticism. Truly and fully live each moment because you don’t know if you’ll be given a second chance to voice those things… And they have the power to change lives. There have been a few instances where we thought we were going back to a ministry and we didn’t. There are things I could’ve said or done that I didn’t because I thought, “I’ll do it next time.” The Lord is gently teaching me that each and every moment is important and he’s slowly breaking me of my “procrastination queen” title (I’m a slower learner than I thought I was).

I think living in a place for one month and ONLY one month really amplifies the conviction to live this way. A month seems like a really long time on day one. On day 30 I feel like I just got here. Our time here has FLEWN by and I can’t believe it’s already time to transition.

I have TOO much to share about my experience here and don’t have any idea how to even start to put this month in to words. Incredible. Encouraging. Powerful. Growth. There’s a few that come to mind. While I reflect and figure out what to share next time here’s some more pics that will hopefully convey more than my words ever could.

Dad, I’m really good 😉