Processing Sacred in the Ordinary Moments

Consider your everyday, ordinary life. Consider Buechner’s message: “Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery it is. In the boredom and pain of it, no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.” 

• How can you listen to your life? How DO you listen to your life? Stopping, pausing, pacing my mind to consider what is in this very moment. I currently listen through quiet moments. Early morning standing for a brief moment in the drive way before I go in and get ready for my day after my run or workout class. I listen through my commute to work sometimes in silence and sometimes with K-LOVE or AIR1. I stare at my boys while they begin to go to sleep and remember those early days or no sleep but lots of love-this also includes some of the struggles I had during those times too.
• What do you hear? What do you want to hear? I hear clocks often, birds, tasks being done by neighbors when I'm home, I hear air circulating in the hospital and overhead announcements, I hear babies crying and sometimes complete silence except for monitors while in the NICU. I hear life all around me and sometimes I also hear death which ironically feels very deafening and intense at times...but later blends into peace. I WANT to hear encouragement, I WANT to hear building up of others, I want to hear my own thoughts building me up and pressing me forward. I WANT to hear ocean sounds, water, the birds, natural sounds from our earth. I want to hear His spirit in my thoughts expressing to me which way to go or how to think.
• What do you already notice, and what do you want to see more of? I notice that the more hurried I am, the less observant I am. The more sacred I consider my time, the more meaningful my conversations become and I am gentler with myself and others. I want to see more understanding. I want to see more outdoors. I want to see more support.
• How can you begin to dive deeper into noticing the sacred in your ordinary? Perhaps you’re quite good at noticing the details and recognizing them as sacred. How can you develop this practice further? Are there patterns to what you’re noticing? Are you noticing them at a specific time of need, of joy, of tenderness? De-cluttering to allow more space for movement and more space for less distractions. Intentionally focusing on one thing at a time rather than multitasking with 7 things. It is most difficult for me to notice the sacred when I am stressed. I go tunnel-vision and struggle to recalibrate. I am noticing that it is all within my perspective and that my perspective can shift.
• How do you feel in those moments of noticing? I feel more at peace and content when I notice. I realize the importance of pausing or sitting a little longer in the moment. I don't jump to the next thing and just 'am'.
• When you scan your ordinary life, what objects, numbers, signs do you seem to notice? I mostly notice butterflies, wings, owls, occasionally the number 7 but I'm not completely buying into it meaning something every-single-time, when I see turquoise I get very excited!
• What do you think your angles are trying to communicate with you? Are they messages of hope? Confirmation that you are on the right path? That you are loved? That they are simply with you? I am not sure and I have not fully explored this concept. I desire to sift through this subject more from a Biblical point of view to dissect if this is something I believe. I have always considered it to be the Holy Spirit within me (God's Spirit) but I do know that angels exist. I'm just not sure what role they would have in communicating with me.
If there was an angel of Finding the Sacred in the Ordinary and she was trying to tell you one deeply important message, what would it be? If I have this type of angel who is with me then I would surmise she would be telling me to "cherish your quiet moments and simply listen, realize 'you are enough' and loved.
Hello Intention!

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