As Christians, we know there are better days to come, but that doesn’t mean we should just go through the motions and take these days for granted!
We can cultivate a heart of gratitude and savor every single day.
Christmas is quite possibly my favorite day of the year.
When I wake up on Christmas morning, one of my first prayers is, Lord, thank you for the opportunity to celebrate your birth today! Help me to savor and appreciate every single moment as a precious gift. Please, don’t let me miss this.
Every second of that day is special, from unpacking our stockings first thing in the morning to our family’s traditional stacked enchilada dinner.
Part of what makes it so very special is how rare it is. Christmas only comes around once every 365 days, so we spend months planning and preparing for to set that day apart!
So, how do we translate that same excitement to our everyday life?
Whether we recognize it or not (sadly, a lot of times I don’t!), every single day is a rare gift. No two days are alike, and we never get the chance to re-live today.
We are constantly going through different seasons in our life – childhood, teenage years, college days, singleness, married life, motherhood, retirement.
Living with my sister’s family has helped me to see that even more vividly because my niece and nephew (6 and 4) are changing so fast. They are growing at an alarming rate, and I don’t want to miss it!
My nephew will just randomly run toward my legs and throw his arms around me. My niece will run into my arms screaming “Aunt Becky, I missed you!” when I pick her up from school.
I know those things won’t last, so I make it my goal to slow down and savor those moments as much as I possibly can.
I try to take every opportunity to tell them how special they are because right now, I have special clout as their aunt, but in a few years, my words may not hold the same weight.
Here’s what I do to slow down and appreciate those little moments of everyday life:
Slow down
Beware of getting so sucked into your schedule and the hecticness of life that you don’t have time to enjoy the days you’re living. Your life is overflowing with blessings – don’t miss them in the busyness!
Be intentional
Blessings don’t come with big flashing signs that say, “Look here! Appreciate this!” They are all around you at any given moment, but you have to look for them.
Live every day with purpose
Don’t get caught in the trap of just going through the motions of your “daily grind.” Every single day is a gift and there is a reason you are living it right now, at such a time as this! Why did God give you this particular day to live? Why did God give you your unique gifts, strengths, and experiences? Go find out!
Take every thought captive
Don’t let worries for tomorrow (or 10 years from now) steal today’s joy. An endless string of “what if”s just creates imaginary problems and distract you from appreciating all of the wonderful things around you right now.
Appreciate the little things
Smiles, sunrises, flowers blooming, leaves changing color, shelter, warm clothes, your favorite foods – they are all things you may see every single day, but it doesn’t make them any less of a blessing. Don’t take those millions of little things for granted!