Priorities

As I anticipate a new day beginning, in those still-dozey moments before the alarm jerks me to full consciousness, I like to think through what I hope to accomplish.
Some days, my goal is as narrow as "finish all of the homework that will be due the next day, and get a load of laundry washed." Other times I begin with a broader hope, like "do the laundry, clean the bathroom, tidy the bedroom, wash the dishes, organize finances, reply to waiting emails, finish all homework."

When my goals are shorter, it is easier to handle interruptions. Even if things don't go as planned, I still have a chance to accomplish all I'd hoped to. When my to-do list goes on and on, I become more adamant that my plans be unchanged, that I finish the entire list. If interruptions come, I am resentful. If delays slow my progress, I chafe at the time I am losing. When my husband wants to spend a little more time with me before he leaves for work, I fight a battle between my list and my heart.

This last area is a new one. Before, it was primarily me and my lists when I had a day off, and whatever other plans I decided to add to the day. (Look at all of those I's!) Living with another person, I'm being stretched even further to set aside selfishness- looking for ways to bless my husband, to show him my love even when it isn't the most convenient for me, to be willing to re-prioritize when he has other hopes for a morning before a busy day begins.

I love being married. More than the goodness that it has brought, and the way it has enriched my life- our lives!- I love seeing how God is using marriage to continue growing me to be more like Jesus. Those little victories - when I set aside my agenda and consider what my husband is proposing, when I modify my plans to help someone else, when I deal graciously with delays - are an encouragement to keep on. In the inconveniences, character is built. One day, one step at a time.

Moments

Life is moments.

It is so easy to get caught up in the minutia of all that must be accomplished in a single day, and for those life-composing moments to be brushed aside in the hustling and hurry of making it through another 24 hours.

This year, I'm learning to slow down. I'm learning to listen more closely, look more carefully, appreciate more fully.
Life never slows. The moments continue to whirl past, like snowflakes in a blizzard.

Pause.

Hold out your hand.
Catch a snowflake.
Marvel at its beauty.
Revel in the moment.

Keep on, having been momentary entranced by the wonder of this journey we call life.