I’ve always been a doer—type A, driven, high achiever. I remember how He first broke through to me at a very stress-filled, anxious time in my life. It was the first time I attempted solitude. I had ridden my bike up into the mountains above Santa Barbara. I stopped in a canyon and decided I would stay until the Lord helped me truly de-stress (I gave him 3 hours). I prayed through all my worries several times, and then ran out of things to talk about. As I was hiking and telling him I wanted to hear whatever he wanted to tell me, I noticed two hawks soaring in the canyon. I found myself fixated on watching them, wondering what they were hunting. Then I noticed one dive and swerve, and the other dove and chased it. They kept doing this until I realized…they’re playing. As I said “they’re playing,” I had the strong thought, “I made them that way—they can enjoy life in Me.  And I want you to learn to enjoy life in Me.”

I had never considered that thought before—that God enjoys my enjoyment of the life He’s given me when I enjoy it with Him. Being the type-A driver, I just figured God was like that (stupid thought—that God is like me!). I pictured Him always tapping his foot when I enjoyed anything, wondering when I was going to quit screwing around and get back to being productive. That day He changed my mind. I realized our Creator gave us the ability to play, to make up games like football and soccer that test our skill and endurance, to surf waves, to create art and music. There would be no such thing as “fun” or “excitement” or “adventure” or “enjoyment” if He hadn’t created us to experience it!  Wow—it was such a freeing thought, and it has since changed my enjoyment of life with God.

Recently on my day off, my eleven-year-old son and I went to a skate park (with vertical walls and concrete bowls and all that). I looked like an idiot this summer, re-learning how to skateboard with all these pre-adolescent kids, but I did it! You know why? Because I want to enjoy life with my son. I love to enjoy him trying new things and conquering his fears, and it’s even more fun when we do it together. I enter into his world because I love enjoying life with him. And I’m not a better father than our Heavenly Father! So even as I was skating today, I was thanking God that I could even enjoy skating at my age, and especially that I hadn’t broken anything yet! And I sensed His pleasure that I’m never too old to enjoy the thrill of life with Him. I find I enjoy it more when I enjoy it with Him.  Go find something you love to do this week, but don’t enjoy it alone—enjoy it with your Heavenly Father! Thank Him that He gave you that ability to enjoy His good gifts.