Moments

 Yesterday my little sister Leah graduated from high school. High school graduation is no small feat ordinarily, but in Leah’s case where her senior year project included teaching 4 of her younger siblings, it is nothing short of incredible. I have never been so proud of someone I had a hand in educating. Of course there was a party, food, people I had not seen in a while, games, and recognition of this major event in Leah’s life. 

As I was driving home I started thinking about how life is made up of so many such major events: getting your drivers’ license, high school graduation, college graduation, engagement, marriage, a baby, buying your first house, etc… Then I started thinking about a few beautiful things I had witnessed in the past week. One of my Compass kid’s reaction when he saw his mom had come to his sixth grade graduation. Walking into my office to find flowers and a note from my man.  My boss gleefully building a tower out of packing material which had encased the new computer lab we both prayed many months for. I realized all these things which caught my attention had something in common. They were not major life events, they were just moments. Looks. Grins. Laughter. And I was reminded life is not really measured by the major events and accomplishments you achieve, but rather by the moments you have. The moments you are honored to observe in others’ lives. The moments you are able to be a part of. The look in my sixth graders’ eyes when he saw his mom was proud of him at his graduation. I swear he grew six inches. It wasn’t my moment, but I was there. I got to see it. And it filled my heart for the rest of the day. The way the little note my man left for me sits on my dresser and still melts me. When he told me he brought the flowers on Wednesday for me because he knew it was my long day at work, the grin on my face became all that much more permanent. It wasn’t the flowers as much as it was that he remembered Wednesday was my long day, and wanted me to know he was cheering for me to make it to the end.  The laughter that rang throughout the Compass building as my boss built a giant tower from the Styrofoam packing material. We all felt like it was Christmas morning, opening and setting up our new computer lab. It wasn’t the Styrofoam tower that was so special; it was knowing that we had asked our Father to provide new computers for our kids and He had, above and beyond what we hoped. It was that moment of knowing He not only hears our requests, but answers them. And blesses just because He loves us. Being wrapped up in His love. 

It is shopping in Walmart and seeing a father laugh with his small child. A couple holding hands walking down the street. A girl with the windows down, singing her heart out to the song on the radio. There are little moments all around us. Little glimpses of what we were made to be. Loved, loving, and enjoying the life God has made for us. Someday we will live in eternity where there is nothing but that life, but for now we are given moments to remind us we were made for more than this. And to help us see the beauty God has placed here for us to find while we are waiting to get there.