Living Life, Fully In The Moment

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Image by doug88888 via Flickr"][/caption]

We all struggle in this life.

I, along with you, want to live life fully...but, I confess I don't know how on most days. I am a failed perfectionist. I like my life to be ordered and understandable. How many opportunities have I missed because they didn't fit in my schedule? I hadn't penned them in my Daytimer? I was too busy to slow down, and with that I missed some of God's most extraordinary moments for me. Although my life here on earth will never be perfect, and even though I mess up on a daily basis, God remains gracious. He gives me more opportunities to slow down and communicate with Him. More than I deserve.

Sometimes the day to day living gets in my way. My eyes are too eagerly set on my plans for tomorrow, to stop and enjoy the exquisiteness of today. I often times forget that I am but a pilgrim on this journey. This place is not my home. I was created for something so much more. God knows this. He reminds me of it, if I will only take the time to stop and really see...... to see His moments.

As much as I enjoy the beauty of this world, I am aware that this world is just a shadow of what is to come. In my quieter times, this thought crosses my mind. My breath catches in my throat and my eyes tear up as I contemplate what that truly means.

How many of us dare to live fully? I'm not talking about risk taking, or defying rules. I'm talking about slowing down enough to savor the wonderful gifts that God chooses to give us. To fully appreciate the joy of each day, regardless of the weather, how much money is in the bank, or whether or not  everything is checked off on the to do list. When was it that we fell asleep at the wheel?

Do you understand that life is really not about those  lists of things? Do you really? If you are like me, you say you do, but so many times I know I don't truly comprehend the depth of it. So many times I rush head long into the day, never looking back, and then before I know it, it is time to go to bed. Where was the enjoyment? The abundance? The moments?  Oh, they were there. I was just blind to them.

When I think about that....it makes me cry. How many years have I wasted in my rush to the finish line? How much of  what God  offers, have I chosen to ignore?

Ann Voskamp, author of ONE THOUSAND GIFTS: A DARE TO LIVE FULLY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE, says this:

Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

Open your eyes to ordinary amazing grace. Life is sometimes dark, gritty, and tough, so how in the world do you find joy? How do you live really, fully alive? How do you see what God is providing right here? How do you find God?

 

The In Courage group is starting a book club. I think I'm going to join because I need the challenge. The dare. To live a full life. Will you join me?

Related Articles

• Changing places and changing friendships (psychologytoday.com)


• Book Review: One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp (seattlepi.com)


• The Perfect Moment (gibsongirl247.wordpress.com)


• Savoring the moment (momblognetwork.com)


• Living life (allfromweb.net)


• Living In The Moment (thinksimplenow.com)


• Simplicity Is Not Easy (blogher.com)


• How to Take Control of My Life? (socyberty.com)


• Prayers for the Journey (godspace.wordpress.com)

Feeling Beautiful

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Image via Wikipedia"][/caption]

It's interesting that last week I read not one, but two blogs about female beauty. The blogs weren't written by women. Both blogs were written by men, and they were both very thoughtful...and in my opinion very insightful. It got me to thinking....

1. What is true beauty?

2. Is it only the physical?

3. Or is that just what we are taught?

4. The truth is those women that are physically beautiful, don't really have to work at it.

5. I remember a quote from a famous model.

6. She said something like, "Please don't love me because I'm beautiful. My beauty isn't something I earned, or am good at. I was born this way."

7. She used her physical beauty for a living, to make money, but it isn't the only thing she wanted to be remembered for. She understood that her physical beauty would one day fade, she wanted more than that.

8. I just thought that was interesting.

9. Women are beautiful...it's just that many women don't see it.

10. They have been trained to see only the flaws, not the beauty.

11. A beautiful smile that lights up her whole face...and is contagious to those around her.

12. A beautiful mind that questions and debates.

13.  Beautiful hands that reach out to help others... and arms that give hugs.

14. Laughter that is contagious.

15. Strong legs that can walk for miles.

16. Eyes that seem to look into the soul, or twinkle with mischief.

17. Witty banter.

18. Goofy grins.

19. Ponytails.

20 and Pixie cuts.

21. Short, Tall, or inbetween.

22. Mothers, sisters, daughters, friends.

23. There is a lot more to beauty than the latest styles or expensive "lotions and potions"...

24. And I think most men would agree.

25. True beauty can't be bought.

26. A truly beautiful woman will have people drawn to her.

27. Not because of her hair color.

28. Or because she is ultra thin.

29. But because she emanates confidence and her own personal style.

30. Her beauty shines.

Related Articles

• Creating Beauty From Within (psychologytoday.com)


• What Do Age & Beauty Have In Common? (hellobeautiful.com)


• Being Beautiful Doesn't Always Help (psychcentral.com)


• Over 40 and Fabulous: Three Women Prove Life Gets Prettier With Age (stylelist.com)


• It's a Girl Thing But Let Him Try It (socyberty.com)


• Women Peak at 31 - Most Beautiful and Confident Age, Study Says (stylelist.com)


• Looking Beyond Looks (datingonline.net)


• Models Dont Deserve Anything (socyberty.com)


• Beauty 101: Making A Getaway [Beauty 101] (jezebel.com)