The Essence of Everyday

In the daily rush of life, it is easy to get bogged down with the things that demand our immediate attention; the things that scream the loudest at us when we are poring over the already too full agenda. 

In the last while, it has been weighing heavily on my mind that the things that get the most of my time are not the things that are "building up treasures in Heaven". 

At first glance, it may appear that everything is on the up & up, however, below the surface runs the current of an insidious enemy - the drive for success. 

Because success, by the measured norm, is not willingly falling several rungs down the corporate ladder. It is not trading in the foothold of full time striving for the partially secure slope of part time struggling. It is not sitting on the sidelines and competing in many thankless competitions for which tedious task to tackle next! 

But my success in life, thank God, is not measured by the "norm". It is measured by such things as Proverbs 31. That is the woman I want to be. 

What I want, is to get to the end of this life and stand before my Lord in the next life and have Him tell me it was a "life well lived". 

There is no dollar value that can be placed on cheering my son so proudly from the sidelines of his first soccer game, or meeting the bus each day and watching my "baby" cross the road and hear him admonish me that he does not need help; he can do it by himself. There is nothing that can replace the swell of my heart when my teen (who does NOT need me around you know) sidles up to me, gives me a hug, looks down at me and gives me a "look". And who can estimate what it means to have a meal ready when hubby arrives home and be able to sit together around the table and share the time and even the tears together. 

We have made so much "progress" - we have liberated ourselves into an oblivion of obligations. And I can hear the reverberating sound of backlash from those who would say that this is the way it has to be so suck it up. Taking a sideline seat is for the wimpy and the weak. Only the strong survive and you don't cut it so you are taking the easy way out. 

If you think making a decision like this is the easy way out, think again. It is not popular, considered smart and certainly not considered successful to put family first; to admit that deep down, having a traditional family solves a lot of things. There is so much more to life than dollars and cents and status. Are those things necessary ? some of the time. Are they nice ? you betcha. But do they bring peace ? 

In a time of loss, it is normal to start to consider and weigh the priorities of life. The older you get, the more the reasons for ranking changes things. You begin to see the road shorter and shorter and the folks that are on it become dearer and dearer. Do I want to keep saying Goodbye in passing or do I want to know, really know, that I lived & loved & laughed to the full with all those God has placed in my path. 

The essence of everyday; that is the thing to consider. Not some far-off someday. But now. This moment. As I hear my sons having another round of jostling for position, I can choose to smile and soak it in, or look for ways to run from it. (If my writing is rattly though, you'll know why)  

I am Doubley Blessed today, and every day :) 
May you be doubley blessed too!