When you consider your relative size to this vast world and galaxy that we live in, your perspective shifts. When I added to that perspective my role as the Father’s child – things got really interesting. I began to lean into and embrace my smallness in the big picture. I began to look at every moment of my day differently.
As I spent the month of May soaking in the beginning of summer and reading Simply Tuesday by the pool, I didn’t realize the changes to my attitude and behavior that were resulting. I realized after the fact, that we often look for big gestures and grand piano on your head moments to let us know what we should do or that God is there. That we rarely acknowledge and soak in the smallness of our lives. Emily’s words spoke to my heart in ways that I didn’t know I needed.
In addition to social media, our society glorifies busy and women who do it all. If busyness is how you thrive and what makes you excited, then more power to you. However, if you are like me, you like to be busy, but also crave time to slow down and be present sans distractions. Now here is the part that struck me – lack of distractions can also mean allowing yourself to be bored. BORED! Hear me out. When we are bored, we always look for something to do. Why don’t we allow ourselves to sit in our boredom, be still and just listen or meditate? In the stillness, we will likely find peace, calm and allow our minds to center on the true calling and reality of our hearts.
If you read my goals for July, you can surmise that I have been allowing myself to be bored just long enough to listen to the whispers I had been drowning out. These past few months, there has been a shift in my truth. What does success look like to me? What does loving others well look like? Let me tell you, it does not look like time on social media, grand gestures and huge chunks of time. While that would be nice, the small, everyday moments are where I can love best.
Whether it is in making the bed for Adam, helping a colleague at work, calling a family member, smiling at every person I see or texting my best friend, simple gestures speak volumes. I also began to realize that surprises (one of my favorite love languages), did not need to be elaborately planned out. If I thought that someone would enjoy a glass of water, letter in the mail or a spontaneous coffee date, I would simply act on it when I thought of it.
This is not the first time that everyday moments have graced this blog, but these are important moments. The moments and memories that will build your legacy. The in-between that filled your memory bank to the brim. Those glances at each other, smiles, doing the dishes, helping fold laundry, picking up the dry cleaning, or even just words of encouragement are the things that build and strengthen your relationships. It’s all intertwined and creates the fabric of your life. Your intentional, meaningful and full of purpose life that spreads the message of love and gratitude to so many. The ripple effects that your smallness has on His big picture is awesome.
How will you embrace your smallness today?
xoxo, Jenn
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