French Braids and Spacewalks

For those of you on Instagram, Astronaut Christina Koch just posted another great update from her time on the International Space Station. You can find it here: Instagram.

She talks about the process of braiding hair with colleague Astronaut Jessica Meir before their spacewalk, and how the baton will be passed on to Astronaut Sophie Adenot. She writes about its importance in helping remove distractions so they can focus on the task at hand. I love the sharing of the inner dialogue, of the reason for the process. Not only did it create space for them to prepare for the spacewalk together, but it moved them forward in their journey toward being sent. 

It's sometimes the small things, right? It isn't just the engineering degree and the NASA training. It's also french braids and relationships and serving one another. As we consider how we're called, and as we begin to lean into how we can be trained and sent, we have to remember it's not just the big things. It's the little ways we show up, the small steps we take, the mini lessons we learn that make the difference in the end. 

In baseball, it's learning to align your feet so you can hit the ball straight. In dental hygiene, it's adjusting your hands so you don't get cramps. In elementary teaching, it's finding the right outfit so you can move freely throughout the day. Yes, the degree matters. Yes, the high-level training matters. But so do the small things. 

What small things are you doing today to move you forward in your God-given calling? What are you saying "yes" to? Where are you taking a risk or a chance that might open the door for something bigger? 

 Pastor Allison