There are more important things in our life than cleaning, cooking and organizing.  There are pathways that God takes us through that are meant to slow us down, give us eyes that can see His world and others, and feed our soul.

Now that our children and grandchildren are back in school, most of us are trying to get our house back in order from a busy summer and perhaps, are trying to figure out how to do better in our job or in the activities that start back up again this time of year.

And as we begin a new school year of plans and goal making, I hope you are able to stop each day and enjoy the little moments.

Life is actually made up of little moments, not the huge happenings that we plan in our life as graduations, weddings, births, jobs, advancements, or awards.  These major happenings actually occur very seldom in our life.  It’s the little moments that happen every day that fill your life with joy, happiness, love and meaning.

Do you remember the joy when you kissed your precious baby’s face?  What does your child look like as she walks to the bus and turns again to say goodbye?  What stories do they have to tell you when they get home in the afternoon?  Do you remember the joy in your adult daughter’s voice when she shares something special with you?  How about the peace and contentment you feel as your children work on their homework while you are preparing dinner?  Do you love to see the look on your tired husband’s face as he comes in at night and the children run to greet him yelling, “Daddy’s home!” and a smile begins to grow?  Or the smell of popcorn and the feeling of a warm blanket as you snuggle with your family watching a movie?  Maybe just having the warm sun on your face as you take a walk?  And seeing that spring is beginning to bring new growth? Or the fall colors have turned the trees from green to gold, red and orange?  Do you have memories of sitting in a hospital room, holding the hand of a loved one as they sleep?

These little moments are the main squares that form the quilt we are making of our life.  Take time to look for them every day for they are the real highlights of our life. The memories of these little moments can help us get through the days that can pull us down such as when the car breaks, the bill that can’t be paid or when the baby gets another ear ache.

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Action Plan

The best action plan for little moments in life is to look for them!  Have a grateful and thankful attitude no matter what comes into our life.  No, we aren’t happy when something bad happens but if we truly walk in faith with the Lord, we know, without a shadow of a doubt, that there is a purpose in everything that comes our way.  That is the power behind Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

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Manna from Heaven

There is another verse that I love to read and remember when I am going through a trial and I am feeling sad:  “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials” James 1:2.  We will always have trials in our life but how we respond to them is what makes all the difference in our life.

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Emotional Check-Up

One of the best but least understood emotions is joy.  It’s easy to equate joy with happiness but actually, they are two different things.  Our circumstances can determine whether or not we are happy, but real joy never changes no matter what is going on in our life.  Joy is that deep emotion that grows and develops as we allow the Holy Spirit and His fruit to grow in our heart.

Perhaps that is why joy is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.  Those who are filled with the Holy Spirit will have an out pouring of these fruits from their life.  You can find the whole list in Galatians 5:22-23 which are:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Whenever I start to feel anger, impatience, and frustrations I realize that I am walking in the flesh and not the Spirit.  It is at that moment I confess this to the Lord and ask to be filled with His Spirit.  Then His peace and joy come back into my life!  And the little moments in life can be seen and appreciated as wonderful parts of my life.

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Healthy Fit-Fact

Just being healthy can help us feel happy and full of joy!  But also, experiences have been proven to make us happy.  In a study published last year, Ryan Howell, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at San Francisco State University asked 154 men and women about their recent purchases and found that people who’d spent money on experiences were happier than those who’d bought material goods, regardless of cost or income.  He also found that people don’t get sick of happy memories like we do last year’s cell phone model. And jealous feelings that usually come from a store bought item were not there if two people were talking about their different trips they took.

So ladies….keep an eye out on all those “little moments” in your life each day.  Those experiences will keep you happy and fill you with joy!