Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks. Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus.~ Phil 4:6-7 CEB
“As we grow older, we tend to become control freaks. We need to control everybody and everything, moment by moment, to be happy. If the now has never been full or sufficient, we will always be grasping, even addictive or obsessive. If you’re pushing yourself and others around, you have not yet found the secret of happiness. It’s okay as it is. This moment is as perfect as it can be. The saints called it the “sacrament of the present moment.” ~From Everything Belongs by Richard Rohr
Living in the moment is the truest form of happiness. When I am reliving the past (good or bad) or worrying about the future I forget the now. God is in the now moments. God is in the moments that I listen to my son rattle on… and on and on. God is in the moments that I stand still long enough to hear the words my daughter sings drift out of her room. God is in the moments I slow down long enough to swing on my porch and talk with my husband.
There is a fine line between being prepared for the future and trying to control its outcome. May I not find myself falling into the trap of controlling this day. May I find the joy of the now.
Heavenly Father, help me to remember today to stop and smell the season’s smells, to notice the beauty around me from sunrise to sunset, the music in the air. Help me remember to not be aggressive or obsessive trying to control my happiness. Let me instead be present in this moment that you have given me. Amen.
Pieces of the Puzzle 