The Sweet Life: One Thousand Gifts Chapter Four

Chapter Four Video Link: http://www.incourage.me/2011/02/one-thousand-gifts-chapter-four.html

This chapter hit near and dear to my heart. The title itself says it all: "A Sanctuary of Time". How do you treat your time? Do you spend your time rushing, rushing, rushing, finishing one task to move along to the next or are you savoring each moment? I know I personally really struggle with not treating my time as if it were valuable. In the book it reminds us of the common saying that "time is money" but Ann puts a spin on this that time is more than money. Time is life. In order to achieve the fullest life we need to seek out the fullest time.

I really appreciated Ann pointing out that she cannot think of a single advantage she has gained from being in a hurry. I agree with this so much that my heart hurts for the things I have disgraced in my haste. I have been impatient with people, I haven't applied myself to the fullest extent but given a half effort, I haven't listened but ignored. The list could go on and on. What it boils down to is that when I rush and hurry about thinking my time is so precious and important, I cause pain and problems rather than glorifying the Lord.

And why do we hurry? What are we seeking beyond the next step, the next day, the next big project? God doesn't say he will meet us in the future, but he says "I AM". God is in the here and now and wants to meet us in the present. He doesn't want to be penciled in on a Thursday at 2 o'clock. He wants you to seek him in this moment. When we seek out the eucharisteo, the blessings God gives us, we stop and savor the moment we are in. When I stop racing around and seek Him, I am able to enjoy the beauty right here, right now. We seek Him in the moment we are in, our attention slows down and we find our time becomes abundant.

Writing down these blessing becomes a discipline and as I have found recently, in agreement with Ann, it is a stress reliever. It takes me from worry and anxiety to appreciation and thankfulness. It puts me dead center in the middle of the moment and not be wondering "what will happen next".

I leave you until Sunday's discussion (if I make it here on time) of Chapter Five with this quote from page 76.

" But time is not running out. This day is not a sieve, losing time. With each passing minute, each passing year, there's this deepening awareness that I am filling, gaining time. We stand on the brink of eternity."

Over the next few days work on being aware of the moment you are in and find thankfulness and appreciation for all He has blessed you with in that moment. Need to catch up on past chapters? Click on the "Bloom" link on the left.