Big Moments

Today was a day that required several deep breaths, relaxing of my ever-tense shoulders and the need to watch the Jimmy Fallon/Justin Timberlake #Hashtag skit for comic relief.  I was bombarded with problem after problem that got in the way of what I planned to accomplish with my day--just one of those frustrating days.  (What is funny is my daily devotion started with..."I plan out each day and have it ready for you...I also provide the strength you need each step of the way." Oh how God does have a sense of humor!)  Throughout the day, the words "elevated", "I'm going to lose it", and "I am having a moment" came out of my mouth more times than I would willingly like to admit.  At the end of the day a co-worker jokingly asked if I was going to blog about the day.  My initial response was "No, the day was frustrating but it was filled with insignificant, frustrating things and in the big picture, these things don''t matter."  To which, the co-worker said, "Well, blog that."  I disregarded the suggestion at first but then I got to thinking how much effort we exhaust on insignificant moments, worries, and things.  "Little things" get in the way of the big, amazing things and cause us to totally lose perspective. 
Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:25,26
25 That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life-whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear.  Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing?  26 Look at the birds.  They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them.  And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are?

These problems are really small in the grand scheme of things and if we aren't careful we will allow the insignificant moments to blur the really important ones.  Reflecting on the day caused me to think back to a few nights ago.  I was rushing around town and stopped by my grandpa's to pick up something,  I had no intention of staying...I had just finished up a run in the rain and was soaking wet.  I got to his condo and he asked if I had dinner.  Anyone that knows me, knows I don't really stop to eat so I basically told him I would grab something later.  To which he asked me to look in the refrigerator; I opened the fridge and saw two little plates with fruits and vegetables cut up with little dipping sauces.  He had also boiled an egg and split it for us.  At that moment, I realized he had made us dinner...and not just any dinner, he had made something he knew I would actually love to eat for dinner.  At that moment...the soaking wet, running clothes I was wearing, didn't matter.  The homework assignment that was due that night, didn't matter.  The fact I was exhausted from work that day, didn't matter.  The only thing that mattered were the few extra moments in my day that I would sit and have dinner with him.  We spent the entire time talking about my grandma...our usual topic of conversation.  This moment was a BIG one and I almost let small, insignificant things (homework, wet clothes, etc.) cause me to miss it.  As I drove home after our nice meal, I thought how much I would have given up to have the same dinner with my grandma and how I would one day miss these moments with my grandp when he is gone.

Let God take care of all the small, frustrating, insignificant moments of day so you can enjoy and cherish the BIG ones.  The moments that matter.

Little plates, dipping sauces and BIG moments,

Ashley Lucille