The Beautiful of the Ordinary...

I'll forever remember the summer of 08'. We got to do some traveling, didn't have to work, and weren't out of money mid-July. The time spent with Crystal and Sarala is something that I'll cherish forever. We didn't really do anything too special...mostly hung around the house, AV. We are currently in a routine of ordinary things. That's the key...ordinary. The time spent together is priceless...within the ordinary. The ordinary allows us to focus on the present. Traveling, though awesome, tends to get to a point where you're constantly on the go and trying to take in as much as you can while you're wherever. That's where this ordinary-ness comes in...the ability to revel in the everyday stuff of life.

I read a review of the song above which states that it reminds us to revel in the gift of the moment and not take our time on earth for granted. As stated in the song...soon Sarala will leave her crib forever. I think about this as we spend our time right before she goes to bed as we sit in the chair. She drinks her milk as we talk, read books, and watch a little TV. It's time for us to wind down. I love that I've gotten to do this every night. She's turning into a toddler before our eyes. She learns new words every day...it's crazy to be able to actually "talk" to her a little. I love it. We'll soon have to convert her crib into a toddler bed.

Life can get crazy though. The things we do during the day can exhaust us to the point where we may not be able to talk to our kids and spouses, spend time with them, read a book with them. Take today for example...I helped move 100 hay bales from a trailer to a barn. It was hot. I'm a little sore and am tired. I'm making an effort though to get down on the floor and play with Sarala, to sit down and have dinner with the wife and child at the dinner table...not in front of the TV. The reward far outweighs the tiredness.

This is where we have to make a conscious effort to make sure we are present in those moments...even if they're just ordinary. I don't mean just physically present, but we need to be completely there. I've been guilty of thinking about things as we've played, read, gotten ready for bed before. I know that I haven't done it much this summer though, and I want to keep this going into the school year. Life has been much fuller.

The thing that we have to remember is that at the end of every day...after the night...comes another morning. An opportunity to start fresh...anew. There are times in our lives that can drain the energy from us, motivation to keep going...keep doing the right thing. We've got to remember that our time on this earth is brief, thus we need to make sure we're making good use of our time. This song, coupled with the verses below are motivators that I keep around me so that I'll focus on maintaining my relationship with God and my family. Like Paul says below...Make the most of every chance you get
...and soak in the ordinary.

Don't waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It's a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ.
Wake up from your sleep,
Climb out of your coffins;
Christ will show you the light!
So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times!
Don't live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants.
Ephesians 5:11-17

And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, "Today—at the latest, tomorrow—we're off to such and such a city for the year. We're going to start a business and make a lot of money." You don't know the first thing about tomorrow. You're nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. Instead, make it a habit to say, "If the Master wills it and we're still alive, we'll do this or that."
James 4:13-15