It's Okay

Ever just get so caught up in life that any real downtime just seems like the eye of the storm?  Well, yeah, that's pretty much where I've been the last year or so.  The phrase, "Hold on tight. It's going to be a bumpy ride.", perfectly sums up my entire life, I think.  Initially I was going to say it described the past year, but it does not take too close of an examination to determine that it pretty much encompasses my entire existence.  There has been plenty more craziness than there has been  so called normal time, and I've always held out for 'normal', whatever that might be.

Now that I am older and wiser grayer I know that there really is no such thing as normal, and even the idea of it really isn't something to strive for.  The ticket to a peaceful existence isn't striving for something, likely unattainable, rather it is total acceptance of your current existence.  That is the real ticket for making the unattainable attainable, if you determine that you'd still like to reach for it.

The exceptional intensity of the past year has taught me a few lessons.  The most important of them being that it's okay.  Really, it is.  Even when things seem unbearable, and the load feels way too heavy, it's okay.  When you messed up for the umpteenth time and yelled at your child, it's okay.  When things have been so hectic that it takes you two weeks to catch up on laundry and dishes, it's okay.  When your eyes have bags under them so big they need a baggage carrier, well, it's okay.

This, too, shall pass.

Seasons come, and seasons go.  So do the troubles and trials of our life.  Something has to fill the gaps, and those are the times we breathe; the times we let our hair down and catch up on our sleep.  The times between the chaos last longer for some of us than others, but if we pay attention and grow wiser, along with growing grayer, we learn to linger in the down times.  The calm waters somehow become more beautiful and more cherished as we gray since we have spent more time in the stormy seas.

The key to my sanity?  Constant prayer.  Period.

Oh, there are other things that hold importance; morning devotions, good friends, a loving extended family, and community involvement.  However, none of these valued aspects of my life even hold a candle to an active prayer life.  There is peace in prayer.  It is our direct connection with our Creator.  Prayer links
us to God and gives us access to the power in His Word.  The more time we spend in prayer the stronger we become.  The stronger we become the more we are able to carry the weight hoisted on our shoulders, and the sweeter the rest when we are gifted a reprieve.

"Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. 

See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, 

patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 

You too, be patient and stand firm, 

because the Lord’s coming is near. 

Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, 

or you will be judged. 

The Judge is standing at the door!   

Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, 

take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 

As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. 

You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. 

The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." 

~ Ecclesiastes 7:7-11

Where Does the Time Go?

Can you believe it? Avery is already six months old! That is one thing I notice more with him than I did with any of our other children, the passage of time. It really does go by in a blink. Every second that passes cannot be regained. That's just the way life goes. If you don't pay attention, you will miss it all.

I have to agree with the post over at The Art and Science of Parenting. Dad states that, "Sure, you want to have big adventures with your kids sometimes, but what they will really remember about you is if you were there every day for all of their little adventures..." In my opinion there is no greater gift that we can give our children than our time and attention. Kids just want to be with us. They want our undivided attention. It is not important to them to have an elaborate gift or expensive trip. Spending time with us and having fun is all that matters.

The gift that I've received from having Avery in our lives is the realization of just how important time is. We really have such a short period of time here on this earth, and what do we really do with it? What do we spend our time focusing on? Where does our energy go? What is our attitude like? Life really is made up of all the little things. The big things are fleeting, but little things repeat over and over throughout our entire existence. I am quite certain that we can have a lot more fun, find more enjoyment, and bring more delight to others when we learn to shift our focus to the minute moment. Doing so puts us in the here and now; right exactly where we need to be. I can see no other way to be content than to be present, enjoying each moment as it comes.

Don't get me wrong. I still have goals, I still strive to be a more complete individual, I still have desires, but they are not my primary focus anymore. I'm enjoying the slow life. Despite my desire to live in the country, and put myself in an environment that promotes a much slower paced life, I have discovered that one can live in the city and still find that laid back perspective. It's a choice. Our attitude is up to us. It is not determined by our environment. We are in control of how our attitude effects our environment, not the other way around. Talk about an "ah ha moment"!