Pulled back and forth between what is pressing and immediate to the long-term big picture of things, can be a bit of a trick.

As individuals we are often and naturally wired one way or the other.

We may be good at big-picture long term thinking but lousy with day-to-day immediacy’s.

Or we are good at the details of living but never really think about what any of it might mean in the big scope of things.

Thing is, we need both of these abilities. And both of these can be cultivated.

We need to be able to face our day-to-day and the immediate details of life and work and home and family.

Visions don’t happen unless we put some ground-work into place.

We also need to be able to step back, widen out the camera lens so to speak, and see ‘the point’ of what we are doing, how we are spending our time, and where our efforts are going; what is the map of our lives.

Ground-work means nothing without a larger scope of understanding.

Last week I was confronted by an immediate and traumatic need that required I  bring some stability and sameness into a situation. All of a sudden there was nothing else that needed attention but a very ‘in my face’ need.

It took a few days of my life, and extended in small ways throughout this past week. With that week’s time revealing that some details of my days will in fact be changed from here on out.

At the same time, the week went by and perspective opened up once more and long range vision cried for some attention.

Life often feels this incredible mix of all that is imminent and pressing contrasting with the much bigger point of everything.

It is not either / or

It is both / and

One day I am dealing with a crisis that demanded every ounce of my being to enter in and engage and simply ‘be’ in the pain, adding what comfort I could, and within a few days I am considering this years trips to Africa, and am reminded by texts and emails and phone calls that there is a much bigger world than my little pocket of crisis.

That world I am also to engage, bringing what I can to the table; being fully present.

The crisis of mental illness / the task of extending deep spiritual freedom to nations

Extending deep spiritual freedom to nations / the immediacy of being a single Mom

We all have conundrums and dichotomies that must be faced.

I’ve found, that the farther into leadership and influence one goes, the larger the dichotomies become, and the more humility is necessary to walk it.

It takes enormous focus and discipline of ‘setting oneself aside’, our fears and inadequacies and self-doubts and what doesn’t make sense, to in fact step into bigger pictures.

The farther one goes into influence, the less and less it is about us.

Our lives becoming one of service means…

We mustn’t be distracted by our stuff

It’s not about us!

Fancy that

So we walk faithfully with our days. The days that have us with a microscope gazing at our imminent and personal realities, and then the days that have us engaged with something that is far, far bigger than ourselves.

The camera lens zooms in, the camera lens zooms out.

Big picture, then the details, big picture, then the details…

Hmmm, sounds like a dance to me!