Ordinary.
tea and flipping through images of the day. Ordinary, everyday
moments from an Ordinary, everyday life. The kitchen is a mess,
there’s a cupboard open, bowls are stacked askew, dishes piled by the sink, books everywhere.
(Where do all the books comes from?)
tears sting my eyes. These faces. Our children. I love them so deeply
it physically hurts sometimes. The little five-year-old boy staring
at me from behind a copy of “Philosophy of Education” – as if
he’s fully engaged in a good read. He whispers: it’s actually a
comic and Sonic is fighting the bad guy and its a ‘really good one Mama’. Simon, Audrey, and I laugh
out loud and I refrain from mentioning, Mrs. Charlotte
Mason wouldn’t likely approve of Sonic as quality literature.
inside of me – he’s so sweet and so innocent and suddenly, somehow,
in this photo, he looks older. Those eyes – I pray I will see them
age creased with deep, deep laugh lines. But please, Alex – stay
five forever.
Because each photo captures a moment of my life. Every time I click
the camera, I’m reminding myself how blessed I am. That I live a
life worth capturing. It’s a soul act – the physical click is like
an alarm to myself to wake up and take it in. Because it’s here
today but it could be gone tomorrow. And it will be gone on one
coming tomorrow – although, hopefully a distant one. Scripture says our lives are momentary. Just a
wave in the ocean, a vapor in the wind.
early morning sunshine.
Apple Pie together.
telling me all his Christmas wishes from the Playmobil catalog (yes, already).
Every snapshot is a heart reminder to
wake up and open my heart to right now.
easy moment. Our life is crazy and busy and I can’t even pee in
peace most days. (A side-note: Just yesterday, I tried to sneak to
the bathroom at Walmart. I begged the kids to come with me, but they
wanted to ‘wait outside’. So, they sat a millimeter from the bathroom
door – I could hear them talking – I was so close. Mid-pee, I hear
screaming. Alex has pinched his finger in between the buggy and the
bench and the sales lady is tapping her foot with a concerned look on
her face as I blaze out of the loo to hug my poor child. Yep. Negligent homeschooler with her kids at Walmart at 2pm…and everyone stares.)
strolling through Autumn leaves. I know, it can be hard. I’ve cried
myself to sleep from exhaustion. I know that pain, friend.
Yes, the one that surrounds you right
now. Right at this moment – look around you and see.
Wide-eyed
look – the mess, the toys, the books, the people, the home,
everything… they are gifts. Here today but not forever. And yes, your life may feel very,
very Ordinary, but you are called to be in it fully and completely.
Right now is your calling.
night:
“The true test of a person’s
spiritual life and character is not what her does in the
extraordinary moments of life, but what he does during the ordinary
times when there is nothing tremendous or exciting happening…
Spiritual truth is learned through the atmosphere that surrounds us,
not through intellectual reasoning…It is God’s Spirit that changes
the atmosphere of our way of looking at things, and then things begin
to be possible which before were impossible…”
in Christ. Because some days – homeschooling, and cooking and
cleaning and trying to do age 9+ K’nex with no luck, and running
after children through grocery stores, and going to a meeting at
night, and trying my hardest to help where I feel so helpless, and coming home to prepare the next day’s food, lessons, and
readings until 1am – yes, that life? Even though it’s ordinary, it definitely feels impossible sometimes.
There is no call more meaningful or life
altering than embracing where you are right now.
what is right here around us. We sit in reverence and thanksgiving in the plain days. And the plain days become crazy gifts.
It’s all Holy work and we are at the center.
So, the Ordinary is never really Ordinary because through God lenses, the everyday is sacred and eternally valuable.
In a crazy, fast-paced world, we don’t take near enough time to truly, honestly notice the gifts around us every single day. To notice the depth of what we have. A simple smile. Feeling soft hands on mine as we roll out dough for a pie. Sharp pencil crayons in a row. Sweet girls mothering a stuffed animal lamb. Brothers shooting Nerf guns while pots bubble on the stove. All these seconds, snapshots of grace and love.
A prayer for this weekend:
“Father God, thank you for the every moment you have given me. Each and every breath and every day I walk this beautiful earth. Open my eyes to the ones around me. Show me your path, Lord. Help me see the radiance and beauty in the ordinary. Open my heart to your truth and the wonder of your ways. Make me more like You – full of grace, bursting with love. Help me not be distracted – too distracted to really see. Shake me, wake me up to eternity and the souls surrounding me. Help me to fully engage with all my being and see the ones you’ve entrusted me with. See my calling. See my purpose. See You, Father. Hold me close, God – some days are so hard. Show me how to walk in truth and light though all seasons and every single one of my moments. Thank you for Your grace, so rich and so free. In Jesus mighty name…”
(hugs)
9 Comments
Sarah
Beautiful, Cass. A beautiful reminder this morning to appreciate, even bask in, these often hard days of bringing up an infant in the midst of balancing wifey and home duties.
Bless you.
Sarah from VA
Cassandra
Thanks, Sarah. Yes! Embrace it and hold on tight… those babies grow at rates you won't believe, sister… (hug)
Unknown
wow. thank you, I needed to hear all of that.
Cassandra
So did I… that's where I write from… 😉
Unknown
I love this! I love the reminder to appreciate the little things but the undestanding that parenting is HARD sometimes.
Happy thanksgiving to you and yours 🙂
Cassandra
Thank you, Carolyn. Parenting IS hard sometimes, yes. Bless you! Keep holding on to the little things, they are what make the whole of our life… (hug)
Aritha
I love LOVE this blog. Such a beautiful autumn pics, your children are a blessing and you're a precious mom.
Cassandra
Thank you, Jedidja. I'm so happy it blesses you. I have an AMAZING savior who flows through me… on my own… I'm pretty crummy… 😉
Chantel
absolutely lovely