A week-long vacation in Glacier Park is coming to a close. It’s been a good getaway. I tend to operate at full speed, trying to use each day to the max and invest this single season as best I can for the glory of God. The pursuit of excellence is one I enjoy.
But there are needed rhythms to life. I’m not always good at finding them. God, in His goodness, will probably have me marry a man who operates at a very different pace than I do, and it will be good for me. Today, there is no such balancing factor, but God’s been talking to me about slowing down and capturing the moments.
There is something that resets in my heart when I wander outside. There is something good about letting the awe of a mountain and the detail of a flower remind me of the God who is big and who is near. There is something needed about going away alone to spend time with Him.
I want to get better at this. I want to linger at the dinner table and enjoy the conversation, choosing to listen and be grateful for the people who sit around it. I want to appreciate the feel of a little hand in mine, knowing that they won’t stay little for long. I want to enjoy the satisfaction of a finished task, instead of moving on immediately to the next item on the agenda.
There are so many small moments that I can gloss over so quickly. Even small, insignificant things, like sitting down to drink my coffee and savoring the freshly roasted beans and swirl of creamer, without needing to do anything else while I drink it. There are times for a tumbler of coffee on the go. But also times to be grateful and slow down and enjoy.
I’m fairly certain I’m not alone in this. We in this Western culture seem to always be on the go. Whether it’s working outside or within the home, there is always something more to do. Social media to keep up with. Dinner to put on the table. Meetings to go to. People who need us. Pressures within and without.
What if we chose to pause more often? What if we planned margin into our schedules? What it we focused more on being present, instead of looking behind or ahead?
What if we went outside a bit more? What if we got lost in the woods sometimes, gazed at the stars, watched the clouds? What if we let God’s creation show us His majesty and His care for us?
What if we noticed the little things? What if we actually savored our food? What if we saw things through the eyes of a child, in all their simplicity and delight about the smallest things?
What if we focused on what really matters? What if we intentionally sought God and set our eyes on Him and grew in our relationship with Him? What if we saw each person around us as the eternal soul that they are?
What if we tuned out the world occasionally? What if we got off social media for awhile? What if we chose to ignore the news and the likes and the politics sometimes?
What if we celebrated a job well done, no matter how small? What if we learned to be okay with little highlights? What if we appreciated the little things that others do, too?
What if we thought about how we want to use these days we are given? What if we considered how we invest our time, instead of just saying yes to the things that fit into our schedules? What if we made space for what matters most?
The years don’t last forever. We are not promised tomorrow. I’m young, I know that, but still, it strikes me that somehow I’m closer to 30 than to 20. My youngest brother is officially an adult. My little sister is driving. The friends I grew up with are mostly all married, with a growing collection of children of their own.
I don’t want to miss today. I don’t want to miss the small moments. I don’t want to miss the wonder wrapped in each detail of life. The very breath I take is a gift from God.
May we be a people who live today. May we be a people who capture the moments. May we be a people who are grateful.
For today is a gift.
~Andrea
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