I've been feeling kind of blah the last few days. Not blue, just blah. You know, a little flat, bored, unmotivated. Which is ridiculous because the sun is shining and the sky is clear and perfect. I should be spinning cartwheels all over this gorgeous creation. But I'm not.
My son's chapel theme for this year is "Ordinary People, Extraordinary God." I've been thinking about that this morning, and realizing that my "ordinary" life is starting to feel dull. God forbid. Seriously. My existence (YOUR existence) is extraordinary, and filled with touches of the divine even when we are too apathetic to acknowledge it.
So, in an effort to help myself remember that beauty and wonder exists even in the mundane, I'm going to come up with five things in this morning alone that were ordinary, and yet rare and beautiful. Think I can do it?
1. As my son was leaving for school this morning I caught him for a quick hug and kiss. "I'm too old for kisses, Mom," he complained. And yet when I bent to press my cheek to his hair, he let me kiss him again and again and again.
2. I was up with the sunrise this morning, and through the east-facing window in my baby's bedroom the sky was cotton candy pink.
3. My friend posted a new profile picture on Facebook and I was reminded again of just how lovely she is, and how blessed I am to call her friend.
4. While my baby was nursing this morning, he looked up and made eye contact with me. The grin that came over his face left no doubt in my mind that he knows who I am and that he loves me.
5. The trees outside my window are golden. When the breeze lifts the leaves they look like a handful of tumbling coins.
What a gift to be alive! Lord, don't let me waste a moment.
How about you? What was ordinarily extraordinary in your life today?
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Number 5 is one of the strongest ways I connect w/ God.
ReplyDeleteAnd number 3 is so cool. I love celebrating friendships!
~ Wendy
Very cool post.
ReplyDeleteSo... after months of sleeping on a thin foam pad on top of a mattress that's less than comfy with sheets that aren't the right size and that slip and slide and get bunched up underneath me... tonight I'm going to go upstairs and get into our bed from the States since our shipment finally made it to Laos, and the sheets are going to be all soft and the right size and it's going to be blissful. Yeah. Too bad Mike won't be there to share it with me as he's away for three days, but c'est la vie. Our lives, anyway.
Wendy, I've been meaning to tell you that we have the same bag! I saw it on your blog a while back and tried to leave a comment but for some reason it wasn't working. Anyway, it's the berry red computer bag in faux alligator skin from Target. You posted a picture of you and another girl at the ACFW conference holding your matching bags. I could have joined you! Great minds think alike. BTW, I'm glad the conference was such a positive experience for you. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that wonderful things develop!
ReplyDeleteYay to sheets that fit, Lisa! It's all about the small joys, isn't it? Sounds like Siem Reap was wonderful. I'm so glad you had a chance to get away. Any chance of getting away stateside??? Hugs to you...
ReplyDeleteFirst off, Thank you Nicole for your very kind words and encouragement to my comment about my son on a previous blog! Your words really warmed my heart.
ReplyDeleteI think an ordinarily extraordinary thing in my life happened yesterday during my son's physical therapy. He was happy and playing but he kept stopping and looking at me. It was so neat to see him doing his thing and yet pausing and looking at me with a look filled with joy and reassurance. It was such a simple thing but the look on his face has just stayed with me today while I'm away from him and at work. Also I got a card, an actual hand written card in the mail yesterday from a friend. The usual ordinary walk to the mailbox ended with a pleasant surprise that just made me feel good. Thanks for making me think about those things in more depth and finding more joy in them!
Some ordinary things that fill me with joy:
ReplyDeleteGetting a letter in the mail.
Holding my two-week old nephew in my arms and watching his curious eyes explore the world.
Seeing the beauty of the fields just harvested around my house.
One ordinary thing today took place at Heartland Convention. I was playing on stage while all the teachers were singing. In one part I drop out, and all that I could hear were 400 teachers' voices praising God, and it just struck me how great God is. I could feel the Holy Spirit there. Music has always been a big part of my life, but it still is always amazing to hear all that sound just being lifted up to God.
ReplyDeleteMy favorites were 4 and 5. I can't imagine how it felt as a mother to make eye contact with a baby and have them recognize you by smiling. That is beautiful, and incredibly adorable. Then, just the way you described the leaves being tossed like a handful of coins was just perfect imagery. I could totally see the golden leaves taking flight like birds traveling off together, which is an interesting connection to make considering leaves fall in Autumn and birds fly South for the winter, which both mark an era of change for me - Fall has always been about change for me. In a way, it's more of a new beginning than the new year.
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