Stolen Moments

The moving truck is gone and the essentials are put away. A feeling of relief settles inside me as the rest of the house sleeps. In the late hours of setting up my office I forge through my last box. Wearily, I begin to pull out a myriad of office essentials; then I see a mouse pad with a photo of my then 8 month old daughter Alexis. Wow! As I reflect on how sweet and tiny she was, I wanted to go back to that moment and pick her up and just snuggle and smell that sweet baby smell.

In that moment, I began to weep as I recalled a long string of tribulation in those subsequent years. My husband was nearly bedridden with numerous ailments.

I, the strong immature Christian woman, was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders along with an unjoyful and angry attitude with it. With that in mind, seeking God wasn’t in the forefront of things that had to be done. In my moment of regret God asked me” why are you weeping”? He told me that I should be rejoicing in the refinement and growth my family has accomplished through him during that time. I stopped crying, wiped my face, and realized he was right. I wasn’t weeping over the pain of those few seasons; it was merely the fact that I didn’t relish her or any of my kids during that time.

I don’t recall holding her with gratitude and joy at Gods awesome design and miracle. I remember rushing through every task, emotionless and worrying about our future. instead of living in the moment with Alexis and each of my children’s lives. I can barely remember her milestones; first giggle ect.. I cannot take back the time or moments of tenderness that could have been. So again I wiped my eyes and I looked up to my Father and said “Abba, even with my new season of trials I will spend more time in the moment loving each of my children more and being present and available to the Holy Spirit to guide and direct me. I will work to improve my marriage relationship and not my self preservation.”

Reflection: What moments of your life have been lost in worry?

Application: Make it a point to live in the moment and feel whatever is present. Take in both the good and the bad; and don’t dismiss it. Put all the worry and anxiety at the foot of His cross and ask him what to do. The good stuff well girls get up and dance your buns off and praise him. That’s the kind of worship that blesses both you and him and you reinforces to your heart that He is good!

Prayer: Dear Lord Father, Teach each of your girls to number our days and to live in the moment. Teach us to cherish all the sweetest of moments even in the midst of our trials. Remind us to cast our fears and worries to you and hold onto your truths.

Power Verses:

Therefore, I tell you do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about it’s own things. Each day has enough of it’s own trouble.

Matthew 6:34 NKJV

The thief’s purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

John 10:10 NLT

Summing it all up, friends, I ‘d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things that are true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious, the best not the worst, the beautiful not the ugly, things of praise not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me. What you heard saw and realized. Do that, and God who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

Philippians 4:8 The Message