Selah

It's such an interesting word. It's a mysterious word, as no one is quite sure exactly what it means. There are some things, we know, though.

• We know the word appears 74 times in the Bible. Seventy-one of these occurrences are in the book of Psalms. Three are in the lesser-know Old Testament book of Habakkuk.
• We know the word appears to occur in "songs" recorded in the Bible. In fact, much of the book of Psalms is just that. Songs. As a musician, this makes the word and the concepts I embrace regarding the word attractive and appealing. It's a word as I understand it that resonates with me. (See what I did there? I used another term that makes particular sense to the musician in me.)
• There is difference of opinion regarding how the word is pronounced. Some say "see'-lah". Others prefer "see-lah'". Some choose to not speak the word at all, choosing instead to "do it" in a sort of reverential silence. I choose "say'-lah". 
• I know that since there is no clear understanding of the origin or meaning of the word, a creative like me finds some measure of liberty in applying the word as I choose to understand and embrace it.

So what does the word mean to this worship-leading motorcycle-riding Christ-follower who values family above all things except Jesus Himself and the Word of God? For me, the word means "to pause"... "to pause and reflect".

To say the pace of my life is torrid is kind of an understatement. At work, our team is in a race from Monday to Saturday to get worship services planned, rehearsed, and executed. Every week. Every Monday we start with a blank sheet of potential to create a meaningful experience of worship focused on the God of the universe. Every week we work hard and fast to create an experience for our congregation to enter into meaningful communion with a holy God. Somewhere in the midst of all of this, I must find time to selah. I must pause and reflect on the majesty of the God we worship, or it just becomes music and minutes - and, God help us - mundane. Selah.

I walk fast. I talk fast. I eat fast. When I'm with my family and friends, though, I try to discipline myself to slow down, to pause, and to reflect on the blessing of those closest to me. Given the pace at which I live my life, this requires discipline and conscious effort. The constant onslaught of emails, text messages, and the awareness that there is so much work to do beckons for my attention. The phone is an easy tool to sneak away into a sea of professional demands and distractions. So I try to call to mind the words of missionary martyr Jim Elliot, who said, "Wherever you are, be all there! Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God." I know it is the will of God to be a good husband, father, and grandfather. So I work at it. I selah. And it's worth it. I mean, how could I not pause and reflect at the sight of things like these we've enjoyed in recent years?

The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Approaching Beartooth Pass in Montana

The north rim of the Grand Canyon

One of many sunsets. I think this one is in Moab, Utah

The Cabot Trail on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia

The splendor or Moraine Lake on the Icefields Parkway

The greatest wonder of all - our family

So why am I spending time and thought around the idea of pausing and reflecting? First, let me offer some context: This blog, entitled The Road Less Traveled, is all about adventure and places Annette and I, along with family and friends, have been privileged to enjoy. I only write in this forum when we're traveling and living the John 10:10 life with those we love. So my last blog entry was written at the conclusion of our 2018 epic motorcycle adventure. I came home convinced the season of motorcycling was over, and that Annette and I were ready to begin a new season of adventure in a new and exciting manner.

I came home and, after an appropriate selah, listed my motorcycle for sale. I entertained some offers that I didn't deem appropriate, all the while setting our sights and hearts on this new season. And then some some news of the best kind caused us to selah... to pause and reflect. We were thrilled to hear the news that first one and then the other of our precious children were having babies.... MORE babies! So we paused and reflected on the following:

• God has been abundantly good to us. He blessed us with two daughters who have been and continue to be a constant source of joy to us.
• God blessed us with sons-in-law who loved our girls in the same way we do... and in the same way Christ loves His church. We could not be more grateful for Bryan and Travis.
• The introduction into grand parenting has been a whole new kind of road we are traveling - and oh, how exciting and rewarding it is. We had no idea how exciting and rewarding this season would be!
• We paused and considered that given the due dates of these two new baby girls - June and August - we wouldn't be venturing far from home this summer, and neither Jaimee nor Lindsey would be up for summer travel. Of course, this was more than okay with us!

So we decided to hit the "pause" button on the new season of adventure for us. It's not a "no". It's a "not yet".

And then what seemed like a logical progression for me was if "not yet" on the new season, how about one more summer of the seasons of adventure we've enjoyed since 2012?

My previous post, along with thoughts I've shared over the last nine months, have given rise to a number of questions I am frequently asked:

1. Do we still have the motorcycle? Yes, we still have the bike. It'll go up for sale again sometime in the late summer or fall.
2. Are we doing another motorcycle ride? Yes. I've planned a short ride - 9 or 10 days, as opposed to the 21 days we were out last year. I'm staying close to home this year so I'm never more than a hard one-day ride from home in case a baby decides to come earlier than planned. I'm riding solo this year. Annette is staying home to save days off to help with babies. And she's staying home because she's more done with the motorcycle season than I was / am.
3. Where are you going this year? As stated above, we're staying close to home this year. We'll ride curvy roads with frequent elevation changes in northern Georgia, eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. We won't experience the elevations of the west, but we'll ride and laugh hard.
4. Are you riding with a group? Yes, two couples from Orlando and five riders from New Orleans (that Band of Brothers I speak of often) will ride together.

So... a few months of pausing and reflecting on the past, on the future, on family and children having children find us in an exciting season. Two more baby girls are on the way. The best season Annette and I have ever known as we watch our own babies take on the role of mom so incredibly well. And I get to enjoy another epic adventure with the boys.

You know, life goes so quickly. I don't want to wake up one day and realize that I've missed the joy of all of this. So my encouragement to you and to me is....

Selah