Being in the Present
Living in the present moment takes intentionality.
I think, as humans, we have the inclination to focus on the future and the past more than the current moment we are in. Although it is natural to be retrospective—to learn from and reminisce on the past—it also prospers us in many areas to look forward with goals and visions. The problem lies in when we become fixated on what was or overly consumed with what is to come.
As a mother, I think this is especially important: to live in the moment as best we can and not become too keen on the next milestone or ultra-focused on leaping through the next hurdle of our mothering trials.
Toddlers are the best at living in the moment. They are just always in it. Sure, they talk about the past and the future, but it’s not an obsession. Sitting with a toddler and watching them play will quickly remind you they don’t care about what’s happening next.
For example, two nights ago, while having a new friend visit from Bhutan, Sirichai was playing with two bamboo sticks in our (unlit) fire pit. He held them in his chubby little hands as if they were chopsticks, gathered a bit of ash, then proceeded to lift it into the air and fling it skyward, excitedly declaring, “smoke!” Adorable, to say the least—until he outright refused to stop playing to go inside for dinner. He circled the fire pit running from me because he wanted to continue making ‘smoke’. You see, he was in the moment. He was not concerned about dinner, bath time, or bedtime. He just wanted to play.
How I long to stay in the moment and let myself ‘be’.
May this year be one of presence.
I think that’s the word for our marriage this year. Not what was, not what will be—but what is right now. In the here and the now. For us, together.
Being attentive to each other, available to our kids, and anchored in the Lord. Loving the one in front of us. Embracing those we walk beside.
I want to see the Glory of the Lord in the land of the living.
I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
Psalm 27:13 NIV
I want His Glory to be evident in my life; may I be His Glory to those around me.
This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it’s out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God’s glory. It’s that simple. That is the substance of our Message. We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. That’s what I’m working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me.
Colossians 1:27 NIV
-Kelly Tana
