Aww that crazy kid just enjoying life with sand all over and mud squeezed between his fists. That’s my two year old grandson, Samuel.
We could take a lesson or two from him on how to enjoy life. Just go for it. Run after life and don’t stop. Take your shoes off and just feel the earth God made.
I read a quote the other day that made me reflect; if my older self could tell my younger self this is what I would say, “Be where your shoes are.” That was the quote I read. It stopped me in my tracks even made me chuckle. What was the person trying to say? Be present in the moment. My daughter has a wall decor, “These are the days you never want to forget.” I don’t want to forget the days my kids lived at home. I don’t want to forget the times I get to spend laughing with my grandchildren. The gospel of Luke says of Mary, “And she treasured these things in her heart.” That’s what I would tell my younger self. Treasure the days of school pick up. Treasure the days of chauffeuring kids from one activity to the next because all too soon they pull out of your driveway driving themself to school with their new driver’s license, or they pull out of your driveway to drive across the country to college, or “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Gen 2:24. Yep it happens to the best of all parents. It’s been happening since the beginning of time.
As I said in an earlier post, I’ began this summer on a “Spirit Quest” if you will. To know God better today than I did yesterday. I’ve been focusing on my health, but it occurred to me that being healthy, getting healthy is more than just physical health. It is mental health. It is spiritual health. It is soul health. It is more than what I put into my body or do with my body. It is what I put into my mind, my heart, my soul. It is what I do with my mind, my heart. And my soul. It is what thoughts I allow myself to linger on and even what lies I choose to camp out on. It is to love the Lord my God with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind and with all my strength. This is complete health. This is SHALOM health.
One of the devotionals I’ve been following this summer is from “Inspiration Co.” It is a daily devotion inspiring me to slow down, pay attention. The title for today is “Wellness Wednesday.” I took so many notes. “WRITE IT DOWN!” One of the quotes, “Enjoy the little things.” In fact they are dropping that engraving on their new bracelet this week. I love that. I’m putting in my order as I write. It makes me breathe again. The devotion goes on to say, “Life is not made up of big moments. It is made up of little ones and the ones who enjoy them live the fullest lives.” More bombs of wisdom from that devotional to allow to loop through my mind, “Discover the joy in the ordinary.”
I spent yesterday morning with my grandchildren at the park and the splash pad. Again, Samuel was all in. I tried to warn him not to run but that was wasted words. He was enjoying water gushing at him from underneath his steps. I smiled, I laughed and I enjoyed an ordinary morning. Samuel’s siblings taught me how to play pickle ball. Can you say, “Who’s your LaLa?” I surprised myself and them every time I would hit it back over the net.
Pay attention to the goodness of the Lord. He tucks His goodness into everyday moments. God showers us with His blessings every day but so often we just step over them without recognizing them. I was following a mom and young daughter down the park’s path, and I heard the mom tell her daughter, “Oh look, there is a cluster of clover. I bet you can find a four leaf clover in that patch.” I thought to myself, “What? I just stepped over that patch of grass not even noticing it was clover.” It brought back memories of me as a child lying in clover patches and hunting for the lucky 4 leaf clover. The goodness of the Lord is all around us.
“Oh taste and see that the Lord is good.” Psalm 34:8
I bet Jesus wouldn’t have stepped over that clover patch in fact I know He wouldn’t have because He didn’t. He said:
“And why do you worry about clothes? Consider how the lilies of the field grow: They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these.”
Matthew 6:28-29 BSB
In my “sanctified imagination” as my former pastor often phrases, I picture Jesus walking alongside beautiful blooming lilies and boom out drops wisdom.
God scatters good gifts all along our paths. Do I notice them? Do I pay attention to them? Or am I scrolling mindlessly, needlessly on what other people are posting on the internet trying to live someone else’s good gifts?
What I would tell my younger self… Don’t scroll through life. Pay attention to God’s goodness and live in the moment. It’s such simple advice. It leads to such a simple yet fulfilling life. Ordinary moments aren’t distractions or at least they don’t have to be. They are goodness sent from God. They are the real life moments.
There is a study that was done in the subway system of New York City. There was a world renowned violinist, a master violinist who sat out to play as an ordinary person down in the subway tunnels to see who would stop to notice this master violinist. Few very few even paused to listen to the beautiful melody echoing through to tunnels. Most rushed to get on the next train heading to who knows where.
My advice to my younger self… Dance with God today and follow His lead. He will gracefully guide me through this life.