My Favourite Year

There are many times when I survey my life, and I can instantly recall so many huge events that have wrecked me into the Christian that I am becoming. They sit so vividly in my mind, as they have sent tremors through my faith that are still felt today. I have recently learned, however, that I am a sucker for big moments such as these. The consumer in me constantly craves being presented with a feast from God, and I have somehow convinced myself that if I don’t receive it, then I’m wasting my faith. It wasn’t until God allowed me to stop and truly take in the idea that He can be seen in the small things more than anything else that I began to truly live my life by seizing moments as they come.
I spent a month doing mission work in Swaziland last summer with an incredible girl named Lauren. She’s not only my first nomination for the “Proverbs 31 Woman Award” (if there actually were such an award, and if anyone actually wanted to know my ideas on who was eligible to win it), but she’s also a really cool girl who has since become one of my closest friends. One night, Lauren and I were taking a walk to the outhouse, and we began talking about the stars. Words can’t even begin to describe how breathtaking the Africa night sky was, as it glowed and streaked with constellations unseen by Americans. I told Lauren that I wished I could take a picture of the stars, but that I didn’t know the fancy camera tricks to do so. She then responded with, “yeah, but isn’t it so great that you can’t take a picture of them? Those stars are something that you just have to experience rather than capture.” I thought that this was profound, yet I didn’t quite understand why at the time.
At the very end of 2007, I reflected on the year and came to the solid conclusion that it was the best year of my life. With the exception of going to Africa for a month, there weren’t very many huge events that happened; it was just a really great year. There were so many tiny details about 2007 that made it life changing. I know I can be overtly passionate about things, but I truly believe that these details, although small, have shaped me and I will never forget them. That’s when Lauren’s words really hit me, and I realized that it was personal experiences that were so important in life. God gives us moments that build and build until they leave us standing in a place we never thought we’d be. When I think about that, I can only be assured of the realness of God. He’s in the small things – the everyday things- and to discount them as being unimportant because of their size hinders us from experiencing Him in unique ways. I don’t know, maybe 2007 only seems like the best year of my life since I’ve come to this realization, but who cares. If we can end every year recognizing more of the small moments we’ve been granted, then I think we’re in pretty good shape.
Slowing down to drink this in has been very crucial to my relationship with God. After all, He was never too keen on the boisterous. He didn’t send His only son into the world in some loud, public manner; He came to us humbly, as a baby in a manger. If I’m constantly scrambling to make small moments bigger than they are, I am missing out on fully experiencing them. That’s why it’s ok that we can’t take a picture of every beautiful human interaction we witness, record each amazing conversation we have, or even get a video of our favorite musician at a concert when they’re standing five feet away. We would miss out on something that was created for us to experience. We must seize every moment, because when it’s gone, it’s gone. I’ve set out to seize more of life’s smaller moments. How marvelous it will be to lay down in such glory!