The present becomes sacred.

My word for this year is NOW. The here and now. The beauty of the moment, every moment, even painful or hard moments.

We really only have now. What's before and what's to come... worrying about and dwelling on the past or future, it steals away the present.

My heart longs to see and experience the now, and not be off somewhere else in my mind or heart. I often catch myself physically present, but not here, not really, not engaged, often going through the motions, not aware of now, missing the present moments.

And in missing the now, I miss the Gift Giver. The grace, the gift, the joy, it gets distant. Jesus is in the present; He is here and now. We can experience Jesus more intimately, more fully, more deeply when we embrace the moment. God desires us to be where He is, to remain with Him. He wants our time to count.

"Each thought, each action in the sunlight of awareness becomes sacred". Thich Nhat Hanh

The daily mundane tasks and doings become meaningful avenues for Jesus to meet us right where we are.
The giggle of my children playing at my feet as I type, I could miss it. I can tap out and not even hear or see them, thus missing the moment, the beauty unnoticed.
Preparing a meal with little fingers helping and talking to me; I can do the motions, answer my common "Oh really" "that's cool" "how fun" and suddenly I realize I have no idea what they were saying and I missed the moment. A precious moment, a moment of relationship, of bonding.
How often I miss the moments with my husband, busy watching TV "together" or thinking about what I want to tell him about, not hearing his words, his heart, right here, right now.
And how often I miss the here and now with Jesus. My mind, my body, far off in the "things" of yesterday or the things of tomorrow, not really living at all. Sliding through without meaning. Avoiding the emotions, the questions, the painful moments, leaving no time or room for Jesus, not experiencing His glory, His working, His beauty.

Jesus help me to be in the now, to see the now, to be in tune with Your Spirit, Your presence, right now. To be aware, present, free, real, alive. Now. To not miss a moment with You, in joy, in suffering, in work, in play.

I think this may be part of learning to be content, to not want. Peace in the present.
How far I have come, how far I still have to go. But right now this moment, it's a gift. I breathe deep, look around. See the reality, laundry folded at my left, little one snuggled in a blanket on my right, loyal dog Lucy at my feet, sunlight coming in the front window, peace. This is my life, this is a gift, and I can't help but thank Him. For the good, the hard, the mundane, the dark, the light, HE is HERE, right NOW, with me, loving me, giving me life. Thank You Jesus!!

Fix my eyes on You Jesus so I may truly live in the present, with You.