Thursday, October 21, 2010

Enough is Enough!

I've been reading a very good... very INSPIRING book.

It is called ' A Life of Being, Having, and Doing Enough ' and it is authored by Wayne Muller. Seriously, it is one of the best books I have ever read! Doesn't the title alone just intrigue you? I don't even remember how I found this book, but once I did... I was hooked.

This book is about knowing how to find "enough" in what we do, who we are and what we have. The reason it has touched me so much is because I have been recently hit hard with the fact that life goes by WAY. TOO. FAST. I know I mention this a lot, but seriously... it's something that weighs so heavy on me. It's something that stares me straight in the face every morning when my three men greet me with their good morning hugs. Over night they seem to grow at least an inch per night and they just change all the time! It's hard to imagine anything sweeter than the smell of a newborn babe, but I can actually say that the tight squeeze hugs that I get from my big boys brings that same sense of joy and contentment as when they were first placed on my chest.

Am I living each day the way I should? Am I focusing my thoughts and energies on the correct things for now? Am I expecting too much from myself... and others? Am I always looking to the future instead of living in the joy of today? I am SO guilty of that latter one... I get so excited about what is coming next in life that I miss what's happening right now. I have written about this before and it's something that I continually pray about. Finding this book has been such a gift because there are so many NEAT words for me to tuck away to remind myself. I'm a word person. I write down special little quotes that I hear, read and even think up myself in a journal. I keep it on my coffee table, and I open that book frequently. I have a framed chalkboard that I write some of these quotes on, and scriptures too... to remind us daily of heart issues. With that being said, you can just imagine how awe struck I was upon reading this little morsel from the book:

" Our journey is an adventure in listening for how we find sanctuary and see more clearly what is good, what is whole, what is beautiful and holy, and what is, in the end, this day, THIS moment, enough. " ~ Wayne Muller

Is that such an incredible thought? Did you notice the part about listening? I am learning that I am to be a better listener to what my sanctuary is. What do I believe to be good, whole, beautiful and enough? It doesn't say anything about what others think of me, or how they might perceive me if I say "no" to something. Others do not make my sanctuary... I do! Truth is, I haven't been very good at this. I am a people person. I love to be doing for others and be around others. I'm not saying that any of that will change, but MY sanctuary needs more balance in this area. Life will never slow down and I will never be able to enjoy THIS moment as long as I am living in a way that demands me to live my life in the fast lane.

I have also learned that I am guilty of always wanting to please others. I believe this to be the biggest reason why it's hard for me to say "no" to something or someone. I don't always say "yes" because I actually want to do what they are doing or be where they want me to be... but I just want to make them happy. So... I will be forty years old in a couple more months, and I'm dramatically making the change. It's so important, because my family HERE... this family that God has so gifted me with IS ENOUGH. The love and mercy that my Father shows me every day, in different ways, IS ENOUGH. The life that He has blessed us with, here, in this home in the woods, IS ENOUGH. Being the wife and mom that God has created me to be, IS ENOUGH.

I find myself lost in every page of this book. It really is incredible. These times are crazy. Life in the fast lane is INSANE, people. I would just like to offer you encouragement... If you find yourself feeling at all the same about any of this.... pray about it. Pray that God will show you something different { maybe it will be in the form of a good book }. Pray that something will take place in you that will make you feel passionate about being able to say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH... and then live it out. That's where I'm at. I am very passionate about saying it, and now... well, I'm just doing my best to live it out everyday. By God's grace, I will find my sanctuary through this process and it will be whole. It will be beautiful and holy.

It will be joy in EVERY moment... with no moments skipped by. ~

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