In Tennessee, it seems like weather is finally turning a corner. Cold temps appear to be a thing of the past (at least I’m hoping as much). Last night I went around the corner to a local farm and picked up some skirt steak (they were out of flank) to grill up for steak fajitas. Yum!
There are few things more satisfying on those first few warm weather nights than firing up the grill or griddle outside. Why is that? Start of sunshine/warm weather=Must grill….
In some ways, it feels like a novelty, right? You haven’t really been able to use your grill that much over the last 4-6 months depending on where you live or if you have tried to use it, it’s been torture standing out in cold or rain tending to the food. You might not want to wash pots and pans, and if you are cooking on the grill, clean up is a lot faster than cooking on the stovetop and/or in the oven.
Another consideration is if you are outside, you aren’t surrounded by whatever else has landed on your counters…mail, lunchboxes to unpack, school papers, other random items. If you go outside, it’s just you, the food, and the grill, maybe a couple of kids playing in the yard too…Maybe it’s just the sunshine you really want…it has nothing to do with the grill itself, but just wanting to be outside, soaking up the sun, enjoying the fresh air. What a great way to the end the day!
Whatever the reason, two things are definitely happening: you are igniting a fire, breaking from your winter routine and you are going outside.
I’m suggesting the same for your prayer time. If the weather is warm, fire things up! Get outside and praise God. If you are like me, you have a usual spot for prayers, but yesterday, I took my prayers to the path at our park, and it was a refreshing way to start my day. I imagined the warmth from the sunshine as God pouring His love and grace into me to carry me through the day. I looked at flowers He designed and the bright green grass He gave the color to, knowing I would gaze upon it, and I said thank you.
Instead of reading something for reflection, I listened to a podcast of the rosary and then walked in silence for a while thinking about Jesus’ presentation in the temple. Why? Because God prompted me to think about that. It wasn’t even a mystery I prayed in the rosary for that day. My walk gave Him space to invite me to ponder something I never thought about from that scene.
When I returned home, I felt energized from moving my body first thing in the morning. There weren’t any books to put away in my prayer corner. The break from routine left me feeling different than I usually do after my daily prayers. Was it better? It felt better, but I know it wasn’t really “better” than my other prayers I offer to God. It was just different. Sometimes a little difference in our prayer routine can go a long way in uplifting our souls. Just like firing up the grill…there is just something about being outside.
Getting outside and admiring God’ great creation boosts our gratitude to God, and gratitude is considering a life changing habit! A break from routine helps us hear God a little bit better because there is no book to hide behind, there are no routine boxes to check—it’s just you and God. When I got silent after my rosary, I let God do the work and pour some things to ponder into my heart. Just like with the grill or griddle, I might need to flip a steak or shift around some veggies and peppers, but largely the grill is doing the work for me. And at the end of both of these experiences, I am left with a rewarding meal for the body and soul.
Could your daily prayer routine use a little sunshine? Get outside, switch up your routine—you won’t regret it! What are you waiting for? Fire it up!
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