Wednesday, June 24, 2015

A Beautiful Life

I inhaled the strong, rich scent of my morning coffee.  I don't often come close to finishing a cup without zapping it two, three, fifteen times!  But the sound of coffee percolating was music to my ears.  Another familiar sound was music to my ears:  my two girls upstairs playing together...nicely!  Okay, so maybe the nicely part wasn't as familiar as I'd like it to be.  My toddler's sweet sounds were also music to my ears.  He was exploring new territory every day as he learned to walk faster and faster and hey, maybe he could run after all!? Nope.  But he sure squealed with pride and delight as he tried, and tumbled once again, onto his cushy tush.  With the windows and doors open, there was a heavenly breeze.  The roosters were echoing each other's cock-a-doodle-do.  The birds were whistling their blissful morning's songs.  In the distance was the steady rumbling of the tractor's motor as my 11-year-old began his morning chore.  Life was good!

At this point, you may be waiting to read what went wrong.  Even as I recount this delightful morning, I'm remembering how many times I've spent my life waiting for the other shoe to drop.  It's sad.  I remember that morning well because it was only days ago.  But mostly I remember that morning well because, as I walked through my kitchen taking in those smells, sights, and sounds, I felt content and grateful.  I basked in that feeling for a while and I gave thanks.  I thanked God for the wonderful gifts He had given me.  So what ended up going wrong that morning?  Nothing.  And most likely everything.  

Nothing tremendous happened to rain on my parade.  The other shoe didn't drop.  There weren't any traumatic events or catastrophes in my little world.  

On the other hand, there was more disaster and sadness in the world around me than I felt I could handle.  At times, overwhelmed is too small a word for how I feel about raising children in these times.  Eventually, the sweet giggles and words my girls exchanged as they played turned to bickering and silence...and perhaps some stomping as one sister decided she was done with the game.  My sweet toddler turned testy tired toddler, as he had been missing one too many naps trying to keep up with his older siblings during the summer days.  And when the tractor needed more gas?  I ended up with more gasoline on my flip flopped foot than in the tank for the first attempt at filling the incredibly antiquated gas tank at the station.  Even after a shower, I could still smell the lingering scent of gasoline on my skin.  Yuck!  The upstairs sink wouldn't drain...again.  As the day grew, there was more bickering, fussing, and whining.  There were more spills and cold cups of coffee...endlessly reheated (a mama's gotta try!).  The day was far from perfect.  Isn't every day?

But I remembered those first perfect moments of my morning.  I have those perfect moments so often.  There are countless moments during my day when I stop and think I love this life you gave me God, when I think I have so much to be thankful for.  Is every day of my life perfect, blissful, and carefree?  Heck no!  You could spend a day with me and see how easily we fall apart, mess up, and let each other down.  I think that is the story with most of us.  That's real.  That's family.  That's life.  So we have a choice each day.  I am learning that I have a choice many moments throughout my day.  Will I focus on the frustrating pitfalls of the day?  Or will I focus on and give thanks for all of the little moments that are beautifully perfect?  Or at least perfect in my little world.  And your perfect will never look the same as my perfect.  My perfect will never--should never--look the same as yours!  And yet our imperfect wonderful lives are filled with opportunities and moments to give thanks.  



This is the life I wanted.  As Ann Voskamp wrote, Every day that you do the hard things that you don't want to do --you're building the family you always wanted to have.

That's the secret!  It's all of the little wonderful moments that make up a beautiful life.  It has taken me many starts and there have been endless distractions while putting together these few words.  I have had to answer way too many questions.  I have had to comfort a fussy babe and instruct a child on proper phone call etiquette.  There are crumbs under the table, pieces of grass on the floor, and too much cleaning that needs to be done before our out-of-town guests arrive in two days.  I haven't had a shower and my tummy is rumbling with hunger.  However, there is also beautiful perfection in this day.  The sky is blue and I hear the birds and chickens.  Perfect.  My soft babe nestled on my lap while I fed him a banana and his sisters giggled at his too-big bites, repeatedly kissing his cheeks.  Perfect.  My older boys have been outside, morning chores completed, playing a rousing game of Nerf gun wars.  Perfect.  Well, maybe none of it is truly perfect but it is imperfectly beautiful...to me.  It is my beautiful life. 



Linking up with Holley Gerth and Jennifer Dukes Lee today


13 comments:

  1. Stephanie,
    What a beautiful reflection on giving thanks in the moment and choosing again and again to be thankful...so true...thank you...and I'm sorry about the gasoline leak...no fun...blessings to you and your family :-)

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    2. Dolly, thanks so much for stopping by and for your always kind words!

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  2. I so enjoyed reading this post, Stephanie! Being thankful in the now... I toss it away at the slightest little thing sometimes, instead of keeping the beautiful moments with me. Taking a minute to be grateful right now, including being thankful for your words!
    Hugs, glad a visited from #CoffeeForYourSoul

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    1. Christine, thank you! I appreciate that and believe me, I'm learning and re-learning to not toss away my thankfulness! Thank you for thoughtful words!

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  3. I love that quote The secret to having it all is knowing you already do. Beautiful.

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    1. Me too! Thanks for stopping by Summer! Blessings :)

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  4. Stephanie, what a beautiful reminder to be thankful in our everyday, ordinary moments! Joining you today from Tell His Story.

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    1. Thanks so much Ellen! I need to remind myself again and again!

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  5. Thank you for sharing such beautiful moments with us. It's true, we often look for the other shoe to drop instead of being thankful in the moment. Thanks for the reminder (Your near neighbor at #TellHisStory)

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    1. I still wonder why I do that... Thanks for the encouraging words Rachel!

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  6. A gorgeous glimpse into your beautiful-ordinary-extraordinary life! I loved reading about it and these words especially stayed with me:" I am learning that I have a choice many moments throughout my day. Will I focus on the frustrating pitfalls of the day? Or will I focus on and give thanks for all of the little moments that are beautifully perfect? Or at least perfect in my little world"
    It's so important to meet each day with an attitude of gratitude and see the marvel in the mundane and the glory glimmers of grace God drips soft into our days. Thanks, Stephanie! :) x

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  7. Thanks so much Joy! What encouraging words you've blessed me with! Glory glimmers of grace....perfect! ;). Blessings to you today!

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