that quote by Jim Elliot has been re-viving my life! I have been trying to live each moment- all there and just a few days ago my sister posted a quote on facebook by Paul David Tripp that's gotten me thinking even more:
You and I don't live in big, grand moments. We don't do very many significant things with our lives.
We only make 3 or 4 big decisions. Most of us won't be written up in history books; several decades after you die, the people you leave behind will struggle to remember the events of your life. Sorry- it's true. You live in the mundane, and what characterizes your mundane, characterizes your life.
The character of a life isn't set in 2 or 3 big moments- the character of a life is set in ten thousand little moments.
On the days that there are a lot of cute moments, a lot of snuggles, cuddles, sunshine, giggles and fun- it's easy to enjoy the moments, to live in the moment and be all there. On the other days...the days when it's hard, when the "crankies" threaten to over take us all, when the twin are cutting their eye teeth, when naps are few and short, when the washing machine breaks down, when there is more potty on the floor and couch than in the toilet...on those days, when the moments aren't so pretty or so enjoyable- it's hard. It's hard to live in the moment and enjoy them all. It's hard to be all there- when the "there" isn't quite so awesome! It's on the "those" days, that I need these reminders. When I need God to whisper to my heart, "come to Me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me. For I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden light" Matthew 11:28-30.
In those hard moments I need to remember that what God asks of me isn't hard or difficult- although, He's not saying that my life will be completely easy. That I won't have to clean up pee or wipe noses and tears, that my washing machine won't break down- what He asks of me is to live the little moments of my life with joy in my heart. And that is not burdensome or hard. God's blessings shine in the little moments- whether it's sitting on the chair, cuddling my babies and telling my made up "George the Wolf" stories over and over, listening to my twinnies screeching and giggling in their beds at 5:30 am, or carrying a wonderful craigslist found washing machine down the stairs at 8 o'clock at night- it's all the little moments of life that build character into a life and take my trust of God to a deeper level. It is definitely in those moments that I grow and mature the most. That's why I hope those moments don't ever stop happening- I need those reminders. I need those rough days. I need to keep finding the joy in the little moments- even the rough ones! And if I don't get practice, how will I ever learn, right?! ;)
On the days that there are a lot of cute moments, a lot of snuggles, cuddles, sunshine, giggles and fun- it's easy to enjoy the moments, to live in the moment and be all there. On the other days...the days when it's hard, when the "crankies" threaten to over take us all, when the twin are cutting their eye teeth, when naps are few and short, when the washing machine breaks down, when there is more potty on the floor and couch than in the toilet...on those days, when the moments aren't so pretty or so enjoyable- it's hard. It's hard to live in the moment and enjoy them all. It's hard to be all there- when the "there" isn't quite so awesome! It's on the "those" days, that I need these reminders. When I need God to whisper to my heart, "come to Me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me. For I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden light" Matthew 11:28-30.
In those hard moments I need to remember that what God asks of me isn't hard or difficult- although, He's not saying that my life will be completely easy. That I won't have to clean up pee or wipe noses and tears, that my washing machine won't break down- what He asks of me is to live the little moments of my life with joy in my heart. And that is not burdensome or hard. God's blessings shine in the little moments- whether it's sitting on the chair, cuddling my babies and telling my made up "George the Wolf" stories over and over, listening to my twinnies screeching and giggling in their beds at 5:30 am, or carrying a wonderful craigslist found washing machine down the stairs at 8 o'clock at night- it's all the little moments of life that build character into a life and take my trust of God to a deeper level. It is definitely in those moments that I grow and mature the most. That's why I hope those moments don't ever stop happening- I need those reminders. I need those rough days. I need to keep finding the joy in the little moments- even the rough ones! And if I don't get practice, how will I ever learn, right?! ;)
