Awareness

I was walking yesterday, and I was reminded of just how much we can let things in our life take away from enjoying the present. Lately I have been really trying to focus on the goodness of the moment that the Lord provides, and when I was walking I was trying to notice the beautiful things about where I was right then. Walking with Rico, looking at the beautiful green hills and pretty flowers (San Luis really is a beautiful place), and then enjoying all the random animals (people's pets) that I always meet on my walks ( I have to pet like every single one...luckily Rico's used to it). :-) It really was sweet...so much sweeter than when I used to take walks and think about my life and where it is going and what I am falling behind in. I hate wasting moments...not fun. Anyways, afterwards, I was happy. I was happy because I like enjoying life moment by moment. God is so wonderful in how He meets us where we are.

We have morning prayer and devotions at my work, and on Monday the person who led them played a song about how we are all going to die, and we should live each day as if we really believe that. This has obviously been a topic thrown at me quite a bit lately, but I like it. Oh, and living for the moment does not mean being reckless and disregarding all your responsibiIities. I simply think it's a matter of awareness and appreciation and really feeling the moment (and this includes pain also). So simple, yet complicated at the same time. Anyways, enough of my words. I am going to end this blog with Kyle Lake's words on the topic of enjoying God's moment by moment gifts. I read recently this little excerpt below and loved it. It is from the last sermon by Kyle. Maybe you heard about his tragic story. He was the young pastor of a church in Waco, TX who was electricuted when he was about to do baptism at his church in Oct of 2005. He left behind a wife, and three beautiful young children. I can't even imagine how they must be grieving, please keep his family and his congregation in your prayers.Just think, he's looking upon the face of Jesus right now....now that's what I call a wonderful moment. Read and give praise to our Maker.

Excerpted from Kyle Lake's Final Sermon on Oct 30, 2005

At the end of Garden State, Andrew Largeman has undergone a transformation. For the first time in his life, he's realized a sense of homesicknesses that he's felt for so many years--that he's been running from. He's prevented himself from feeling, but what Sam does is that she gives him permission to be himself. To experience the here and now in a relationship of honesty and vulnerability. In grieving the death of his mom. In the comfort, warmth and messiness of friendship.

And here I think God is saying to each of us, "Abandon your plans of escape. And Be where you are. Plant gardens and LIVE and live well." I don't know what your planting gardens may look like, but let me end there by trying to provide a glimpse into what that may be like:

Live. And live well.
Breathe. Breathe in and breathe deeply. Be PRESENT. Do not be past. Do not be future. Be now.
On a crystal-clear, breezy, 70-degree day, roll down the windows and FEEL the wind against your skin. Feel the warmth of the sun.
If you run, then allow those first few breaths on a cool autumn day to freeze your lungs and do not just be alarmed, be ALIVE.
Get knee-deep in a novel and lose track of time.
If you bike, pedal HARD...and if you crash, then crash well.
Feel the satifaction of a job well done--a paper well-written, a project thoroughly completed, a play well-performed.
If you must wipe the snot from your 3-year old's nose, don't be disgusted if the Kleenex didn't catch it all....because soon he'll be wiping his own.
If you've recently experienced loss, then GRIEVE. And grieve well.
At the table with friends and family, LAUGH. If you're eating and laughing at the same time, then might as well laugh until you puke. And if you eat, then SMELL. The aromas are not impediments to your day. Steak on the grill, coffe beans freshly ground, cookies in the oven. And TASTE. Taste every ounce of flavor. Taste every ounce of friendship. Taste every ounce of life. Because it is most definitely a gift.
~Kyle Lake 1972-2005

(i borrowed your pic lara...hope you don't mind) :-)