Baseball and making your bed as paths to heaven

In recent months I’ve been trying to do a better job of slowing down to pay attention to people and to the earth; to messages that they may have for me from God…the messages have been coming: in dreams, in encounters with strangers, and even on walks with my dog.

Two weeks ago while I was walking the dog, a baseball, pushed by the wind (or tossed by the hand of God), rolled in front of me. I stopped to pick it up. This was the ball. Seriously.

My name was on the baseball!

I now keep the ball in my office to remember that the messages I am receiving as I listen for God are in fact personal. (They have my name on them!) I’m also keeping the ball to remember not to get confused. It’s not baseball that is a path to God. Slowing down to listen and to see is a better path.

Too often in my life I’ve chased after miracles. When they happen, they are joyful! They are also by definition miraculous, not ordinary. Which means they are not the most reliable path to heaven. Moments which require our attention and care—like making the bed and washing the dishes—are much more likely to take us to where we hope to go.