Need a Break? 6 Ways to get more Fun in your Life

Mid-October we went on an adventure with Chris’ side of the family. We embarked on a 7 day family vacation to Orlando, FL. And it was all kinds of fun. During our years as Youth Pastor’s my Mr. & I ventured to Orlando many-o-times when we took our Seniors on Spring Break. (And yes, those trips have given us stories for DAYS!) But we had never been with our family. We hadn’t ever gotten to see the magic of Disney through the eyes of a 7 yr old, aka our niece. We had never been to Animal Kingdom and never, believe it or not, been to Sea World together.

So imagine my delight when on October 17th while taking in a slew of animal shows and riding one of the most fun Roller coasters EVER, the Lord decided to remind me of a side of Him that I all too often forget.  That’s right, while sitting in the concrete bleachers, being splashed with water and taking in the twirling dolphins, pot-bellied pig-you read that right- and Mr. Shamu himself, God reminded me how much He prioritizes play.

For many of us, when we reach “maturity,” we can exchange our pursuit of all things whimsical for all the serious adult-ing attributes we now deem necessary to navigate our lives.  Words like “fun” and “delight” can seem out of place and even irresponsible in the face of our ambition and responsibilities and especially trials.  But what if God designed fun to be the perfect antidote to counterbalance the pressures He knew we’d have to walk through in this life?

We get to serve a God who is wildly creative and has an immeasurable imagination. Just take one look around you. All His handiwork is a declaration of His deep love of uniqueness. It’s a constant reminder of how much beauty He sees in the diversity of His creation.

He could’ve made us all carbon copies of one another-made in His image and cranked out on an assembly line. He could’ve made all the trees brown and every animal to look just like Gunther

aka-the perfect animal specimen 😉

But He didn’t, because He delights in our uniqueness. He delights in the ways He’s wired all of us: individually and for a purpose. And He delights in us trusting Him to be God and us to be His adoring creation.

These quirky, majestic, and fascinating animals brought Romans 12:1 alive to me in such a fresh way.  They fully offered their cute selves, their everyday life and did it to the best of their ability.  They played, they enjoyed their life and it echoed God’s handiwork.

And if you don’t think God delights in our fun, just try explaining Sea Lions? 🙂 Our wildly creative God whose imagination far outshines anything we can comprehend, created fun. And I don’t want to speak for Him, but I’m pr-e-tty sure His heart leaps within His Godly chest when He sees His creation excelling at being 100% themselves and fully delighting in it.

I need reminders that it’s good for me to connect to God in this way; utilizing the playful ways He’s wired me as another way to worship and bring Him glory.  We can get so serious can’t we? There’s a lot of heartache in this life. But thankfully, Jesus takes on the heavier side of the burden, so we can have the lighter.  Thankfully, He is God and we are not. And when we rest in that fact, we can place our heavy loads before Him and give ourselves permission to trust and lighten up just a little bit.  Your “fun” doesn’t have to feel like a waste when viewed from the lens of heaven. It can be another way to worship.

Ok, so sounds awesome right, but how? No worries, you know we’re all about the practical, so here’s a few quick hitters.  6 ways that you can re-introduce a little fun into your life.

1. By yourself

What makes you come fully alive?  You may not know. When Chris and I walked through infertility, I all but forgot.  Here’s my advice to you: try a few things you used to love before life got so serious and see what sticks.  Could you go for a run or a walk and crank up the worship music in your earbuds? Move your body as an act of worship and gratefulness? (here’s a playlist to get you started!)

Are you an artist? An athlete? An amazing cook? God likes the way He’s wired you. I for one can get choked up when I walk into a space that is beautifully designed and decorated. I’ll be the first to admit, it’s a little quirky.  But hey, I’m embracing it. I see the creative expressions that we have as humans referencing the glory and the tip of the iceberg of our creative God.  What makes you come fully alive? Put yourself out there. Try something new. Even something simple like trying a new style you never would’ve before can be the gateway to re-introducing play into your “everyday life.”

2. In your Style

Alright, so let’s go there.  Your. Style. What you put on your body. The image you’re projecting to the world.  Here’s what I know from walking through hard things.  Whatever we’re going through on the inside manifests itself on the outside. Pain or just pure busyness can suck you into a wormhole entitled, “oversized gray sweatshirt.”  It’s very scientific. Sometimes all you need is a little style step in the right direction to move you forward with confidence.  You should have fun with your clothes. They should make you feel better, not worse. Go ahead and try a style that you wouldn’t normally try.  What kind of boxes have you put yourself in?  Within the confines of appropriateness, Don’t shy away from something just because it’s different.  That hat you keep eyeing in your closet is meant to be worn. 😉 Check out some of our style posts to help you go there.

3. In Your Home

I love a room with a sense of humor.  A little something that sparks creativity and makes you smile.  Why not try painting a door teal? Throw a few random polka dots on your walls? Put stripes in your entryway or just start spray painting things. Pumpkins, tables, soda bottles. If it stands still, we spray paint it. Let your space be a reflection of what delights you & calls you back to the best parts of you. Here’s a few ideas to get you started.

4. With your Spouse

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, you need a date night.  OR a date “day.” We’re not picky. We take what we can get.  There’s a hidden danger when building a life with someone.  If you’re not intentional, the person with whom you used to have THE most fun, can dwindle down into merely your business partner.  And we get that; it can happen to all of us. Which is why we’re so passionate about having a date night AND a business meeting.  Just not at the same time. (Click here to learn how to do that.) Don’t get overwhelmed. This is fun remember? Here’s a few ideas to get you started and we’ve even made a playlist for you.  Check them out here & here.

5. With Strangers

Make it a goal to add value to someone’s life every single day. I guarantee if you make that a prayer, God will honor it and open your eyes to simple opportunities that you may have overlooked.  He’s creative. And you’ve never met a person that isn’t deeply valuable to Him. You’re an extension of His heart and His hands on this planet. Your life isn’t small and neither are the persons who happen upon your path. Collaborate with Him, secret mission style, 🙂  to point people to His love.

6. With your Creator

I love finding systems that work. I love having formulas. They make sense to my brain. However, with God, there is no magic formula.  Think of your time with God like a date. You wouldn’t want to go on the exact same date-same restaurant, same time, same topic of conversation every week-and expect to stay engaged would you?

You’re in a relationship with the Lord, so keep it fresh. He’s a big, creative God, and as long as your foundation is biblical and prayerful, don’t allow yourself to get too regimented in the “how” of connecting with Him. You can dive deep into reading your Bible with Him. But you can also listen to it on an app and go for a walk.  Chris has a great post on connecting with God. Check it out here.  

In what areas of your life are you looking to get a little more fun?

Until next time,

Meg

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