"You can’t get time back. Is that why the saints wrestle with God — until they see even hard times as holy times?"
"And I’d take the ugly with the beautiful because the hard stuff is the heat that refines."
"But to wake to the moments and embrace the moments, all of them, the exhaustingly hard and the wildly good and the ugly beautiful, because God only comes to us through the moments. And He isn’t only in some moments, abandoning us in others."
"Be present – because the present is just that – a present. A gift. No one has to carpe diem, seize the day, of everyday chronos time — we can all grind our teeth through as many of the difficult moments we want – and miss who knows how much of our life? "
"Maybe the ones you aren’t seizing are the ones that might change you?"
"Maybe it’s about this: God uses the day to seize us. God carpe diems.
"God seizes the days: God seizes time and uses it as an instrument to transform. God seizes every moment to sculpt souls and shape lives and transform ashes into glory. What if isn’t so much about seizing kairos moments and surviving chronos moments — but seeing all as Christ-filled moments? That God seizes the moment to make me more like Christ and what if I seized more of the moments, because there is something of my Savior in them?"
"I may not enjoy every moment but every moment I can joy in God."
~Ann Voskamp
This...this is the lift I needed today. By His Grace, I'm starting to soak up the moments, all moments.
My gratitude journal today, is a list of things that I'm seeing in a new light, His Light.
To borrow words from Ann, this is my ugly beautiful. Things that used to bring me worry, fear, and frustration. All moments from God that I can embrace with a changing heart.
Gifts #221-228
Mondays. An opportunity to organize, slow down & re-focus.
Over-tired, cranky baby just not wanting to sleep. Moments to sit, rock, and just love him.
The clutter.
The laundry.
Dirty dishes sitting all day.
Being tired most of the time. Moments to rely on Jesus.
Homework time. Moments to look closely into my children. Moments to practice patience. Moments to meet the needs of my children. Moment to discern God's plan for next year.
The routine. The mundane. Moments to find God in everything. Just looking for Him fills me with Grace. Moments for prayer.
Moments of Grace @ Suscipio
Yes...I am also a stay at home mom and Ann has brought a view of the little missed things into the light of blessing for me also. The dirt on the floor becomes "they came home and there is the evidence" --what a wonderful way to see. Great post! :0) have a lovely blessings day
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
DeleteThe dirt on the floor becomes "they came home and there is the evidence" - Yes!! I love that. Blessings to you.
Hello,I found you over at Mrs Lewis's blog :)
ReplyDeleteA Godly Homemaker...
My blog is by invite,if youd like to pop over let me know and i can leave my e-mail so you can e-mail me ,then i can invite you :)
Blessings
Thanks Renee I'd love to. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteHi Julie, I came over from Suscipio and your quotes from Ann V. were helpful to me as well, thanks.
ReplyDeleteThat book is on my night table and I need to pick it up again. God bless.