Hold on to Every Moment

So as Claire so kindly pointed out recently, I have been neglecting my blog as of late.  In all honesty, most of my blog posting in the past has been done at the office during work hours.  At the bank, everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, is blocked on the Internet.  It does make for a more productive workday, but it also means less blogging on my part.  Yes, I can blog from my home computer, but typically I want to stay off of the computer once I'm home in the evenings.  I promise, Claire, I'll try to get back to blogging more often!

So I've been in Jackson for a little over 2 months now and so far I am really enjoying it.  I'm love my job helping clients put together a better portfolio of investments for their 401(k) plans and my coworkers are great.  I've joined a gym, am figuring out the social scene, and am spending a little too much money eating out and shopping, which is all fun, fun, fun in the infamous words of Anthony Dixon. 

Another thing I've been doing is trying to find a church home here in Jackson.  I really miss CrossPoint in Starkville, but I need to find a new place to worship here.  So I've visited a few places in the Madison area.   Today I made a second visit to Pinelake.  The regular pastor is currently on sabbatical so today we heard a message from guest speaker Mike Breaux, and what a blessing his message was.  A couple of things from Mike's sermon today really made an impression on me:

Mike began by talking about moments in your life that you will always remember:  birth of a child, wedding day, etc.  But how many seemingly less significant moments do we fail to remember, even just after they occur?  He went on to describe how a child on Christmas morning has the uncanny ability to simultaneously open his own present, while also looking ahead to the next gift he plans to open, and at the same time watching what his siblings are unwrapping as well.  He explained how we tend to carry that "talent" into adulthood by never truly enjoying the moment we are currently in because we are looking ahead to what may be coming in the future and/or dwelling on things that have happened in the past.  Personally, I know that I do this a lot.  Especially the looking ahead part.  I am such a planner.  To the point where I often forget to take time to cherish the present because I'm so focused on what is or is not coming up next.  I need to make a conscious effort to really be in the moment, every moment, and to cherish it and thank God for it.  It makes me remember the words of Joy Williams' Every Moment,  "Running through yesterday into tomorrow, don't let it just drift away.  Forget about tying the hands of time.  Give every moment to the One who gave us today." 

A second thing from Mike's message that really hit me was a line (which he referred to as "crass,"  but I just feel to be truth) that he said, "Gratitude kicks Entitlement's butt every time."  I have found myself having discussions with multiple people over the past few years about the "sense of entitlement" that it seems so many young folks have today.  I saw it all the time in teaching college:  "But I came to class every day of summer school, don't I DESERVE to pass?!"  We see it everywhere today, and seemingly more so in the younger generations.  I would have excluded myself from that group.  But if I really think about it, there have been times in relationships, jobs, whatever, where I've used the phrase "I just deserve better than this," or some variation thereof.  Mike pointed out to us today that when we have that attitude of entitlement, no matter to what degree, we are just putting a negative spirit on ourselves and zapping the joy out of the moment.  If we spend our time being grateful for each and every moment that the Lord blesses us with, we will certainly be more joyful.  Gratitude will and does kick Entitlement's butt. 

I feel like after today's sermon I have a different perspective on life.  How many moments have I let go by without relishing in them? How many wonders of God's creation (sunsets, blooming flowers, newborn babies, gorgeous beaches, lakes, mountaintops) have I not given a second glance or taken the time to stop and relish in their beauty?  How many precious moments has He given me with my family and my friends that I took for granted?  There have been so many instances where I should have taken a minute to take it all in, to thank Him, and to not whine about how I "deserve" more. 

Thank you, Lord. How could I ever ask for anything more?  I'm making a conscious effort now to be in the present, forgetting the past, not looking ahead to what's down the road, but just being grateful and soaking in what's happening right now.