experience more:
A wise man once said, “Life is like a box of chocolates…you never know what you’re going to get.” Thanks, Forest. You’re exactly right! Life hands us the ordinary, and the extraordinary. In the midst of the everyday, it is up to us to seek out and find the everyday adventures.
One of the purposes behind this adventure of ours (you can read about it here), is that wherever we go, wherever we live, we will live like the locals and embrace the community around us. Imagine, going on a week long vacation. You can never see it all or do it all in one week’s time. Probably not even in two-week’s time. That is why we set out to live somewhere new every year to two years. That is where the fun in life truly lies; in living life as if you are on a grand excursion, seeking out the extraordinary, and finding everyday adventures.
A Tiny Church with a Big Heart
Grace Baptist Church was founded in 1950, and its still located in the north-west area on the outskirts of Bowling Green, Kentucky. It is a church of only one location, and from first glance, you can immediately tell the people are committed, connected, and involved. The building isn’t large; it certainly isn’t a mega-church. And in this day and time, that’s a refreshing change. The people we encountered knew one another, they walked life together, and served their church and community side-by-side.
A Walk Through Bethlehem
The reason we came to know about Grace Baptist Church was their yearly production of A Walk Through Bethlehem. While it wasn’t a Broadway-level production, or a production of epic proportions, it was so well done. In fact, the church has just completed its 27th year producing the Walk Through Bethlehem.
When you first arrive, you are greeted by the local tax collector, and Mary and Joseph (with the donkey). Even though the night air was damp and chilly, the characters were all very personable and interacted with guests in a very friendly and welcoming manner. Along the route to Bethlehem, you see Roman Soldiers, towns folk, a Rabbi, and local artisans.
That Holy Night
As you continue on through the town of Bethlehem, you get the sense of what it may have been like that holy night. With local artisans, carpenters, and the Rabbi in the Synagogue, the little town of Bethlehem was filled with people seeking out everyday adventures.
Within moments of stepping inside the plaster walls of the city, you really are greeted with the sights and sounds of the city, the people who lived and worked there, and what Mary and Joseph must have encountered. There was even an Inn with no room.
There was a synagogue with room enough for about a dozen people to sit and listen to a brief recollection of what it may have been like, what was happening nearby, and how to seek out and find the star.
The “Rabbi” explained the miracle of the Christ child, and how, if you wander down the sawdust path, you will eventually find the babe in the manger, the heavenly hosts, and the shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night.
Certainly a few steps down the pathway, you arrive at a campfire where you find the shepherds in the fields, with their sheep nearby, grazing peacefully, bleating softly, waiting for the miracle of Christmas to unfold.
With Angelic Hosts Proclaim, Christ is Born in Bethlehem
And finally, as if on cue, the heavenly hosts appear, praising God and singing “Glory to God in the Highest and on earth, peace, goodwill to men.” A few short steps away you find the babe in a manger with his parents, Mary and Joseph. The miracle of heaven, sent to earth, wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.
Everyday Adventures with Extraordinary Moments
This, my friends, is how you find adventure by seeking out the extraordinary moments. Life is full of adventure. Sometimes it’s around the world, but often, it’s right around the corner. For us, it was a 20 minute drive to a tiny church we’d never heard of. We met people we would have otherwise never known, and we got to experience an evening like no other.
It didn’t cost us anything but time and a little gas. The event was free. But we were so glad we bundled up and made the trek. It was an everyday adventure I would gladly take again and again. The people were kind, the production was outstanding, and we left feeling more in the Christmas spirit than when we arrived.
Find Your Own Adventures in Everyday Moments
I want to leave you with the challenge to seek out your own everyday adventures. Find them in stolen moments, picnics in the park, hikes down a local pathway. Adventure is all around you; you only need to seek it out!
