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It probably got you a little ruffled that I just told you that you’d better live in the moment. Good! It’s only because, well, tough loving.It’s what I do for my Wifey friends and my kids – pure honesty because I care! This topic is special because I know firsthand how easy it is to get this one all wrong, y’all.
I hate to tell you this but this message isn’t just for you. It’s a written reminder of how I’ve fallen into this trap more than once. It’s happened during the early years of being a wife and mom, and recently too. We have to be intentional to not keep falling into this rut but to live in the moment.
I want to spare you the pain of losing precious years like I did!
How to live in the moment
You see, when I think back to the time when my oldest was a little boy, I worked outside of the home (a lot). I took on many obligations that weren’t absolutely mandatory in my life. Not only that, but I had this habit of always longing for the next stage or the next big milestone in our lives.
You know what I’m talking about because we all do it. When things get tough we long for the next easier stage of life. “I can’t wait until you-fill-in-the-blank finally happens!” is what we’re thinking often.
What resulted for me was that I blinked and my boy was five. Five! Those precious years of toddlerhood were gone in a flash and I felt as if my parents had raised him. I could never get those years back. God began opening my eyes to the fact that even though my job was very satisfying, there was something much more important at stake here.
The life He gave me was being wished away by me every day.
So how do we become truly present and live in the moment no matter how hard or mundane?
For me, I couldn’t just quit my job right away, but God helped me make some major changes. My life began to change. It was more fun, meaningful, and fulfilling than I ever thought possible. God’s pretty cool like that, isn’t He?!
By the way, my little boy just had his 24th birthday!
Start on your knees
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it until I die: there’s something powerful about a woman that literally gets on her face before the Lord. Whether you have to hide in your bathroom with the door locked, or sneak into a closet, show the Lord that you mean business. Physically submitting your life to His best plan for you is such a profound commitment.
God changed my worldly priorities into more important ones. Instead of only focusing on my professional mark in this world, my mindset focused on raising a godly man. I started longing to be a stay-at-home Mom with everything in me. It was insane the way my heart changed. It took a while to make it happen but my heart was not satisfied until it did. He gave me a new desire. I appreciated it all the more because of the years I had wasted!
The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps. Prov 16:9
For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death. Ps. 48:14
Don’t take it for granted
Tomorrow is not promised. We all know those who were snatched from this life in an instant and without warning. A very vivid reminder for me is a friend who lost her husband and five-year-old daughter on just a regular, ‘old ho-hum day. I’ve never gotten over how her life changed forever that day.
I resolved to live in the moment!
My friend had no idea she’d never see her family again. I’ve watched her live in incredible faith and seize each day as its own. I try my best to make sure that I’m present and showing my people that I love them.
No regrets!
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” Jam 4:13-15
Find an older friend
I was reminded recently of how powerful it is to be surrounded by godly women. I have been on both sides of this scenario: #1) the young wife desperately in need of the wisdom of an older woman, and #2) the woman whose kids are older with lots of (not so perfect) experiences to share.
Oh honey, do not discount the profound truth that can be learned from an older woman that loves the Lord! The things I’ve learned about how to live in the moment from women that have been willing to pour godly counsel into my life. The ones that didn’t just say what I “wanted to hear.” The tough things that normal folk just don’t talk about. Things like biblically submitting to your husband or disciplining your children when it “ain’t” popular!
Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. Titus 2:3-5
Practice being intentional. It does get easier. I’m certainly not perfect but the Lord knows the desire of my heart. When I begin to stray away into LaLa land, He performs a proverbial yank in my chain to get me back on track.
Yeah, He’s cool like that. He’ll do it for you too if you just ask. You might enjoy these quotes from famous people about this topic like I did.
Do YOU live in the moment, friend?
A great reminder. It’s so easy to get sucked into the busy-ness of each day and forget that every day is a precious gift. I recently had a health scare that reminded me of this very thing: to not take the opportunity to be a wife, mother, and homemaker for granted. {As an aside, I’m sorry that your friend had to endure that trial, but what a blessing that her faith has sustained her.}
Starting on my knees is so important. The older friend is a good tip I would not have thought of. Thanks for sharing!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this! We take so much for granted sometimes and this is a great reminder. I remember when I stopped working as a pharmacist to become a SAHM, and most people thought I was crazy. But it was one of the best decisions I could have ever made. Not just for my, but for my family as well. And when you said, ‘there’s something powerful about a woman that literally gets on her face before the Lord.” all I can say is AMEN!
Im somewhere in between living in the moment and also looking ahead. I enjoy the moments now but I do set goals, I do work towards them and when I conquer them I add new goals. But for me life is an adventure and I rather have memories to share vs having things to show.
As a newlywed in a new home, this was a great read and reminder! Our house will be finished eventually, and we have plenty of years ahead to enjoy in our marriage. It is all about the now! Thank you for this!
Such great words sweet friend. It’s so true.