Shape today by living in the present. Observe your surroundings, soak up the colors, smell the different fragrances, notice your loved ones around you.
Today, my husband and I spent our day in Anaheim in hopes to enjoy Disneyland. I wanted today to be unforgettable - completely epic. I placed such demands on my day and on my husband to make today perfect. We drove into the Mickey and Friends' Parking lot to only be greeted by a sign forewarning us that the Disneyland Park was full. We decided to try to weather the crowd, yet everywhere we went in the park we were surrounded by horrendous crowds of people, where you were seriously shoulder to shoulder with complete strangers. Our Disney date failed, so we decided to go to Target and buy a movie to accompany our new sound bar in our room. We spent at least an hour having such a difficult time finding a movie that was compatible with our sound bar. I began to think about how I spent my day, and I felt a little deflated, and I could tell my husband noticed my dissatisfied attitude. This is when he kindly reminded me with the following words: "Relax and enjoy your day. We aren't on a schedule". It dawned on me that I had an attitude all day because our plans have not gone our way.
Why does my success or failure of plans need to hold that much power over how I feel about my day?
As I began to self-reflect, I began to realize that "epic" or "unforgettable" moments aren't shaped by success of plans; it has to do with my attitude about the journey to these plans. I began to realize that experiencing love and fulfillment in life is not wholly confined to journaling privately in my room where God can speak and love me. He can love and reach me in the crowds of Disneyland, running errands at Target, or at a restaurant eating dinner with my family. I think we overcomplicate God's character. He is interested in the big and small details of our lives. I think if I chose to recognize and include His love throughout my day, I could have enjoyed my journey instead of being distracted with just my plans, the destination.
I challenge you today to see life as a journey and not just plans that come and end, like a box on your checklist to complete. Choose to analyze and decipher the beauty and meaning of what you are doing whether it is your job, your hobby, coffee with a loved one, a church service, baby-sitting, celebrating a birthday. Begin to just enjoy life for the journey that it is, recognize God's love in it, because He is already there with you in the work grind, at your church service, at your Starbucks run, in the conversation with your spouse, in the car ride home from work. God is here and desires to shine light to the beauty and gift that the present really is.
TAKE AWAY:
1. God is in the finite and infinite layers of life. It just takes us recognizing that He is there.
2. See life as a journey and not just sporadic and definite plans.
3. Live in love, in God, throughout your journey. See all parts, common and the everyday, of life as holy and sacred, because God is all ready there.
MEDITATION:
“1 You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.
3 Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.”
“7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.”
DAILY CHALLENGE:
1. What is one layer of life that you don't tend to recognize God's love in?
2. How could you recognize and live in love in this area? Give practical actions.
3. Enjoy today for what it is. Be observant and thankful for this part of your journey. Try to find meaning in it. What is God trying to teach or show you in this part of your journey?