It has been eight months since I chose words to define my new year. I had chosen a single word for several of the previous years, but this time I felt the whisper of a phrase: Moment by moment.
To be honest, there are some words I don't even remember from one year to the next. These words are somehow different. Over and over again, they echo in my heart. It seems they were carefully chosen for this season of my life. I am learning to live moment by moment.
I'm the girl who loves lists. I even make lists after the fact, just so I can cross off the items I've already done. I don't function well when my plans are upended - and I always have plans. Given the power, I would plan out the rest of my life, and I'd probably throw in the lives of all my loved ones as well because, after all, I don't want anything unexpected and unwelcome to happen.
However, the Father did not see fit to give me that power. He did see fit to teach me that I am not the official planner of my life and the lives of those I love dearly. He has used circumstances I wouldn't have seen coming in a million years to driver that point home. He must have known it would take drastic measures to get me to take my hands off the controls and grab hold of His strong hands instead.
I learned the lesson, but I do have this unhappy tendency to slip up now and then. He occasionally has to remind me Who's in charge. My parents have reached an age where it's impossible to live any way other than moment by moment. Both physical and mental limitations make it too difficult to plan days ahead, let alone plan for tomorrow.
Over and over again, the Spirit whispers - let's take this one day, one hour, one moment at a time. I'm reminded of the Father's promise of grace and mercy sufficient for this day. He doesn't give me a month's supply or even enough for a few days. Like manna in the wilderness, His mercies are new every morning, and they are sufficient for every moment.
I breath Him in and exhale peace.
Blessings,
Linda
Picture courtesy of my daughter - taken on her recent trip to Switzerland. Sigh….
