SEVEN: Savor the Life in Front of You!

We know our life is a gift, but how in the world do we slow down long enough to enjoy it when responsibilities and distractions press in on us from every angle?

In my last post, I mentioned that I would offer seven ideas for savoring the life in front of you… right in the middle of your fast-paced world.

These seven habits helped me savor my life during the child-rearing years and beyond. I didn’t master them, but with daily practice, and dependency on God, He used them as instruments to fine-tune me to His goodness.

You may not resonate with all seven, but why not try out two or three this week and a couple more the next. Enjoy experimenting with each one to discover those that might bring flavor and fruitfulness to you and your family.

So here they are: The Seven

1. Plan: If we fail to plan, we plan to fail! Most of the time, when my kids ‘hit the hay’ I wanted to hit the couch and not think of another thing; but I found that a few moments of preparation in the evening enabled me to be more present with my family the following morning: By laying out my clothes and theirs, packing lunches and thinking through breakfast in advance, I had fewer decisions to make the next morning. These few minutes of preparation freed up time and energy to fully enjoy my family as we began a new day.

2. Pray -. Paul encourages us, “What is true, lovely, and praise-worthy? Think on these things!” We might wake up to many cares, but a heart of praise and gratitude shifts the atmosphere of my day. Each day is an irreplaceable gift, a moment in time through which Jesus is writing our story.

In 2012 I began a journal called “My Ledger of God’s love” in response to a yearning for a greater awareness of God’s goodness in my life. This journal represents my simple attempt to capture the whispers of God’s love throughout the grand and mundane affairs of each day.

Why not start with a goal of listing 5 gratitude entries a day: a simple one-word or one-sentence list? If you have a hard time getting started, start with the often overlooked gifts: your ability to breathe, walk, see, hear, touch, speak, smell, taste; the strength to rise out of bed; the faithful synchronicity of your organs, keeping you alive without your involvement. These miraculous reflections of God’s loving-kindness often pass by us without recognition.

Warning! Once you begin reflecting and listing, an unstoppable river of gratitude will break through the dam of despair, apathy, and comparison! You may become overwhelmed by undeserved grace, drenching your soul at this very moment. Keep the journal handy throughout the day. Meal times serve as great moments to share these entries with our kids. Model gratitude and watch it spread like wild-fire throughout your house.

I follow thanksgiving with prayer, expressing my dependency on God. It is so easy for us to allow our circumstances to come between us and God. Prayer puts God between us and our circumstances. Shape every worry into a simple request for His involvement. He invites us to do this:

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” 1 Peter 5:7

“Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you.” Psalm 55:22

 

3. Pause: Google has been voted the best company to work for in America for several years in a row. Among the many comforts, privileges and perks it offers it’s employees, one of their most envied perks are employee nap-pods. Extensive research proves that a 5 to 15 minute power nap will increase productivity. These short periods of rest help employees re-set, causing the second half of the day to match and surpass morning productivity and creativity.

So, why not embrace the same theory at home? If data suggests that we literally gain a second day by closing our eyes for 5-15 minutes, why do we force ourselves to relentlessly press on to accomplish more? Model this healthy life-style discipline for your kids, and    encourage them to do the same. Some kids may nap soundly while others may choose a quiet bedroom activity like reading or coloring. Let them know these uninterrupted powernaps will amplify joy for the entire family.

 

4. Praise: Verbalize memorable moments. During lunch or snack time, practice sharing with your kids the special moments you captured. Kids love to listen to stories that include them. Sharing these stories not only fuels their souls, it also seals the memory of those moments deeper in their hearts and affirms the unique gifts contained in the many simple activities of life.

 

5. Play: What do your kids enjoy doing? When are they most content and creative? Coloring? Reading? Pretending? Building with Legos? Designing with Play-dough? Bike rides or soccer? Do you remember what it was like to be a child? Savor this fleeting season by joining your children in the activities they love.  You won’t find time to do this.  You MUST make time!  Create a reasonable calendar that includes a few minutes for special play time with each one. Share these dates with your children and build the anticipation. This is my coloring play date with you,  our truck date, or lego date… Once it’s on the calendar, be sure to keep the date! Enter into their world and experience the sheer joy of reviving your childhood imagination.

 

6. Prepare: As important as it is to venture into the world of our children, it is equally important to invite them into our world. In an attempt to help our kids view the needs within our home as an opportunity to serve one another, we called chores, “Home Ministries”.  We figured that if they couldn’t find joy serving those they loved inside their home, they may never enjoy serving the world outside their home. Some of our best conversations took place during unscripted moments where we partnered together on a necessary responsibility.

Children enjoy baking treats for daddy, washing a few unbreakable dishes or helping you unload items from the dishwasher. Experiment to discover what your children genuinely enjoy.

When we lived in Detroit, our backyard apple tree produced endless work. Picking up fallen apples became a daily “home ministry’ when apples were in season, but that was no reason for it to be void of fun. We dressed up in Laura Ingalls Wilder dresses and bonnets and stepped back in time, collecting baskets of apples and making pies for guests. My girls entered into my world and I shared in the joy of entering into their delightful world of imagination…how many years had it been?

7. Partner: Friendships with other moms during your taxing, parenting years will brighten the mundane and provide perspective to overwhelming situations. Friendships bring laughter within the most demanding seasons.  Load up the mounds of clean  laundry and head over to a friend’s house to fold laundry together.  Experiment with new meals. Take the kids to the park and enjoy some adult conversation while your kids play with friends.

 

Your life is priceless.  A gift.  Savor it!  Enjoy it to the full!

 

Beauty Awaits…
Patty