Around this time of year I find myself telling others, "I'm already living in next year." That's because for me when school is winding down, I am gearing up for the changes to make for next year so that it will be even better. So many people start thinking of making resolutions and changes towards the end of December with good intentions to put them in place starting in January.
Having only lived a life of school, my year always runs August to July. August is the time for new beginnings, March through June is the time for planning for those new beginnings, and June through July are either getting recharged to get started up again or actually doing things to prepare for getting started in August.
But in starting to live in the next school year months before it is here, I find that I am missing out on opportunities. Missing out on life. Instead of being content and living in the moment of here and now and trusting God, I end up rushing through. In my work life it becomes "Oh, well it's too late to fix ______ this year so I won't do anything, but next year I will ________".
It is the same rush, but instead of my work it happens with my children and even my husband. At home it becomes "let me just make it a few more weeks, then we can ___________." On a daily basis thoughts of just making it to bedtime so I can have some quiet wind down time or "I can't wait until ___________ stops doing _______" or "I can't wait until ____________ can do ___________ on their own" plagued my thoughts.
Financially I'm living even further down the road to the times of no more daycare bill that will just so happen to coincide with a couple of loans being paid in full. The talk then becomes, "In _____ we will be doing better and can finally do _______." or "If we can just make it to _______, then we can finally fix/replace/do something about ___________."
How many times am I so busy looking for the next best thing that I fail to realize the goodness taking place right now? How many times do I fail to see what is going on right in front of me and learn to be content with the here and now?
You see I'm always rushing to the next thing either because I have convinced myself that I'll be happier in the new school year because I'm going to change something or because I've convinced myself that our money troubles will be over. Although I know deep down that is not the case. There will be something new to come around to cause me angst over my job or over finances.
But God doesn't want us living like this. In fact he is very clear about contentment. In 1 Timothy 6:6 it states, "True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth." Later in 1 Timothy 6:8 "If we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content (satisfied)." In Hebrews 13:5 it states, "Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, 'I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you."
You see God wants us to be satisfied with what we have and to trust that He is always there for us. We shouldn't be running to get to the next best thing with the assumption it will help us to be happier and more satisfied with our life. So if we shouldn't be rushing to the next thing and should be content with what we have right now, then we need to take the time to do this.
My biggest challenge this week is the fact that I'm not looking forward to camping. As a matter of fact as I think of ways to focus on being in the moment and being satisfied and noticing the good parts around me so I can enjoy what is going on in my life, I realize this is one of the things I will have to be very open too. As much as I want to wish the time away, if I do so I will miss out on opportunities to see my girls experience their first camping trip. I will miss out on the joy and fun of the activities Tori will participate in with her fellow Daisies and soon to be fellow Brownies. But God calls me to be content with what I have. As I strive to do differently by trying to be more in the moment, I must face this weekend head on with a focus on being in the moment.
What is it you are hurrying through or hurrying to get to? Have you missed some good experiences because you were too busy rushing through? Especially rushing through difficult times, did you see the good in the bad? What can you do differently to help you focus on all the good things and enjoy life?
**Questions adapted from p. 16 of The Resolution for Women
