The Glorious in the Mundane

November 18, 2011 By

It’s difficult to find some days, the glorious in the midst of the mundane-ness of life.  To look above the chaos, the mess, the need, and the exhaustion.

But I don’t want to miss it.  I want to find that glorious in the everyday, the usual, yes, the mundane.

I don’t want to ignore the insatiable curiosity of two mischievous little boys…..

“..to make it your ambition and definitely endeavor to live quietly and peacefully, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we have charged you.” 1 Thessalonians 4:11

I don’t want to be too caught up in my own tasks to show respect and love to that ruggedly handsome pilot that makes my heart beat faster whenever he comes near….

“By walking away from a busy, accomplishment-oriented society into a quiet world of deep relationship, service, and home-life, I will establish a far-reaching legacy that extends throughout many generations.” -Laura Booz, Blogger Behave

I don’t want to dismiss the wonder that is in a 7-year old’s face as he sees the beauty in the world all around him….

“It is shown with the sacrificial life of giving up what we wanted to do, or the job we hoped to have, in order to build a soul through the attention of ourselves. A looking into the eyes with true interest and compassion instead of looking at a screen while half-heartedly listening.  These are the sacrifices of our love, the moment-by-momet giving up of ourselves, the constant year in-year out practice of worship as we serve those in our home in order to please His heart.” - Sally Clarkson

I don’t want to be too tired, too busy, too occupied, too annoyed to answer the never-ending questions from a darling young lady …

“It’s not hard to decide what you want your life to be about.  What’s hard is figuring out what you are willing to give up in order to do the things you really care about.” Shauna Niequist

I don’t want to miss the chance to build into the boy becoming a man as he gets ready to spread his wings and fly…

“Your loving touch, patient service, sacrifice of time today, this week, is not in vain.  It is a service of worship to the One who laid down His own life in moments of time.” – Sally Clarkson

I want to stay focused on these beautiful faces, the precious ones that the Lord has put together with me under my roof, to love on, cherish, embrace, and invest in.  I want to be present.  I want to be all here. 

“Live slowly and simply so that you have the time and the space to love deeply and well.  Hold your children close, as often as possible.  Look deeply into their eyes, speak words of life, love, and acceptance into and over them.” -Jewels

So I will continue to look, to see, to find, the glorious in the mundane right here.

Do you want to join me? What is it that you don’t want to miss?

 

Photo Credit: Dave Forney and Tripp Flythe

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Filed Under: contentment, God's word, mothering

50 Comments

  • Emily

    Your thoughts and goals are beautifully communicated. This is such a helpful and encouraging post…thank you!

    • Joy

      You are welcome. I feel this so deeply, I am happy to share!

  • http://memyselfandmercy.blogspot.com/ Mary Bonner

    Joy, this is so beautifully written. Thank you for these thoughts. My son is grown, but these thoughts and ideas do not relate just to child rearing. I love this line, “I don’t want to be too caught up in my own tasks to show respect and love to that ruggedly handsome pilot that makes my heart beat faster whenever he comes near….”

    I need to be more present in LIFE…thank you for the reminder.

    • Joy

      Love it, Mary! I think it can apply to us at whatever stage of life we are in. Yes, we all need to be more present in life! Thank you!

  • Cyndi Spivey

    That was beautiful Joy and a great reminder. Life goes by quickly and each day is a gift so I don’t want to miss a minute!
    Blessings friend,
    Cyndi

    • Joy

      Thank you sweet Cyndi. Yes, each day is such a gift, isn’t it? It is so easy to forget…. Blessings, sister!

  • http://countryblossom.blogspot.com/ Katy~TheCountryBlossom

    Mmm, yes. How you have truly reflected my heart, as well as your own! :)
    I love your quote from Jewels…..she is one of my favorite people! A dear, sweet woman she is!
    Thank you for sharing what is on your heart!
    Warmly,
    Katy

    • Joy

      Jewels is one of my favorites as well. I love to hear her heart and about her life. It is so nice to have beautiful women like her going before us!

  • Kris

    So beautifully written, Joy. I don’t want to miss any of it. I want to live each moment in the full glory of it, whether good or bad, hard or easy, I want to embrace all of the moments, because I know that it’s all for purpose, all part of the plan… There is gift even in the muddiest of moments, that’s what I want to live everyday rembering….

    • Joy

      Yes, the hard and the easy….so much easier said than done, but I agree. I want to embrace it all, even if we can’t see it. Thank you sweetie.

  • http://www.peak313.com Clare

    Beautiful, Joy. Thank you

    • Joy

      You are welcome dear. Love you!

  • http://fruitinseason.blogspot.com Christine- Fruit in Season

    Joy, what beautiful thoughts to take to my weekend. To be all here. Love you, friend. May the Lord bless you right where you are.

    • Joy

      And may He bless you as well, sweet sister-friend.

  • http://twitter.com/AshlieWrites Ashlie

    A true heartsong Joy! Just beautiful. I hear echoes of it in my own heart, too. How I love my sweet family so much, but you’re right, life steps in and it’s so easy to glide through the day, just trying to get things done, or get the day done! Lord, help me. I don’t want to miss out on those precious moments, those “mundane” times you write of that are the building blocks to His plan. It does get hard, boring, exhausting. A friend of mine gave a message at church about a year ago…the theme was truly embracing the season we’re in, and not just “enduring” it. That has stuck with me! Here’s to embracing by His grace!

    Thank you friend,
    Ashlie

    • Joy

      Ashlie, You win the award for best commenter for sure! I love seeing your comments every day! I think we all struggle with this, it’s part of our sin, to not see the forest for the trees. Thanks for being in this with me!

  • http://twitter.com/stacey29lincoln Stacey29lincoln

    I don’t want to miss the dancing in the midst of the crazy…

    • Joy

      Amen sister!

  • http://joyfulmothering.net Christin

    Love it – as always!

    I don’t want to miss taking part in what my kids love. I want to do life together…not parallel in the same house.

    My eldest daughter and I share a love for writing, so I allowed her to have my blog Joyful Homeschool blog to write on. It has opened up her creativity to a new level simply because it’s something exciting for her.

    Anyways, that’s just one example. :)

    • Joy

      Ooh, I love that Christin! What a great idea!! She sounds similar to my little girl….I just suggested that my daughter start a newspaper, which she did! We’ll have to get them together one day!!

  • Anonymous

    Oh Joy I needed to read this today. Thank you sweet friend. I don’t want to miss the giggles, the special moments, and this time that my children are hanging on my every word and action to show Jesus to them.

    • Joy

      Love your heart Ruth. I am so glad that we are in this together!!!

  • Ann Gemmel

    Joy –
    I am new to your blog – but wow – this is one incredible post. Your thoughts are spot on and as a mom of 5 who are older – the youngest is now 16 – it is so true to savor each precious moment and opportunity because it does pass by so quickly. Grace and peace to you as you embrace each moment. I needed the reminder this morning to do the same….

    • Joy

      Thank you Ann. I need this reminder daily!! It is just so very easy to get caught up in what needs doing, and forget to enjoy the beauty in the midst of it. Grace and peace back to you, dear sister!

  • Anonymous

    Oh Joy, this is a lovely post :-)

    I find that we are always face with a choice, we can choose to go trough live or fully live it. Truly fully living the live God has given us, is beautiful, amazing and always full of surprises. But when we choose just to go trough the motion, to just get things done, to live waiting for life to get better… WHAT A WASTE.

    Living here where we are, where God as place us, to fully enjoy His blessings, He who knows us, cares for us… Why is it that we often choose to refuse to soak those blessings, thinking that we should have “better” one!

    In the mist of diaper changes, disciplining 3 little toddler, house chores that seams to be never fully done I choose to live in the MOMENTS, those precious smiles and hugs, the smell of their hair after a bath, holding their little hands… those moment are met to be enjoy, here and right now.. because they grow oh so fast!!!!

    Thank you Joy, for the words encouragement

    Love you
    Renee

  • http://yetheabidethfaithful.blogspot.com/ Danielle

    love the quotes… espcially from blogger behave… I’ve got to read that! Thanks for sharing Joy!

  • http://www.gracetags.com Janelle@GraceTags

    Beautiful! I don’t want to miss the normal, safe, happy in the midst of the loud and crazy.

    Janelle

  • Jen

    This is so beautiful. We’ve been so crazy busy flying to the field, but I keep trying to stop and enjoy these moments with the kids. These are memories that I don’t want to mess up for them. Thank you.

  • LindseyDavern

    I dont want to miss the little moments with my kids, the moments my husband doesnt have while he is deployed, the questions, the giggles, the dinner making, the cartoon watching, the wet bath times, the million times out of bed to “just one… more kiss mom”…all the times some people aren’t blessed with. I long to look at them as blessings and not as burdens when I feel stressed out and alone. What a gift to be able to have these times with my kids that my husband and so many others long for but arent able to have!

  • Chelsey Hall

    So… so much. But right now, I don’t want to miss what God is trying to show me through the midst of the hard moments that I’ve been walking. I don’t want to miss the growth.

  • http://www.joyfilleddays.wordpress.com Sarah Beals

    I don’t want to miss the JOY! We can see life through the two lenses: joy or complaining. I choose joy!! And THAT is why I write. :) http://joyfilleddays.wordpress.com/2011/06/12/why-choose-joy/
    And that is why I love your blog! You are on the same journey. :)

  • http://www.fieldstonehilldesign.com {darlene}

    beautiful, joy.
    I don’t want to miss anything because I am rushing to do something that has no eternal value. I don’t want to miss the little things….

  • http://www.amusingmandy.blogspot.com Amanda

    The other day I was so frustrated by what felt like a never-ending list of mundane jobs to finish but I heard my oldest (he’s 5) say, “Mummy look in your closet”. He had lined up all my shoes in a row because he knows I like order. I don’t want to be so consumed with a pity party that I miss those sweet gestures. Thanks again for an amazing post!

  • http://twitter.com/JamieRHess Jamie Hess

    I don’t want to miss the everyday conversations while my thoughts are thinking of to-do lists. Love your words here today!

  • http://www.mercyfoundme.com/ Jacque Watkins

    Thank you for these words and the beauty they bring as I read them. Thank you for your diligence in using this space to urge us to love deeper and live fuller. You are making thunder in this place and I am so thankful to know you. How blessed you are with all God has given. I want to join you in the pursuit of not missing a single moment! May your day be blessed…

  • Sara Shay

    Love this! I think sometime we don’t allow ourselves to enjoy the little things for the sake of getting other “things” done. While I was working on my blog this morning my little guy anted to hold my hand (one handed typing can be a little hard). At first I was a little annoyed. HELLO! I stopped my “important” things to take some time to enjoy what matters!
    And when I allowed myself, I felt the basking of full enjoyment in the moment we had. He will only want to hold mommy’s hand for so long.

  • Anonymous

    A beautiful word for us mamas. A thousand loves and thanks for your wisdom here today! xo

  • amy anderson

    Wow!! Love this, Joy! Thank you! I so agree with not wanting to miss anything…and yet I do when I lose focus on what is important. Thank you for the reminder. Thank you for you! xo!

  • http://onceuponamuffin.com Susan @LilbearMe

    This is my heart, too. I don’t want to miss the deep talks, laughing smiles, and growing heartstrings for the inconsequentials of today.

  • Adrienne

    From Good Morning Girls I loved your post on living in unity, it inspired me to check out your blog. I came across the post with the photos of the RC planes. My husband is a pilot for a major airline and his hobby is RC planes, which we have a garage full. I thought about how much your boys would love them.

  • Jenna

    I am teary-eyed as I read this post. I feel your heart, the tiredness among the gratefulness. I too get weary and I get lonely, but I want to remember to recognize every moment as the special gifts they are. I don’t want a tragedy to occur that makes me suddenly grateful and alive and appreciative, but I want to live in that awareness now. I want to remember the sweet little faces and everything that makes them giggle. Thanks for sharing.

  • Sue Lee

    I just found your blog and I look forward to reading it. Loved this post and I, too, want to miss all the blessings found in the everyday, even if the everyday isn’t always easy. Thank you!
    mrssuelee.blogspot.com

  • http://www.largefamilysmallworld.com/ Large Family Small World

    I don’t want to be so focused on getting the job done that I miss the opportunity to have my little ones help me even though it will take longer.

    I don’t want to miss the opportunities available every day to help my kids build relationships with each other.

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  • Kiki Rustam

    Thank you for sharing this, Joy. I think you should start a link up for “Glorious in the mundane” posts :)

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  • Bethanywalsh1

    oh i need to be reminded of this daily…

  • http://www.redemptionsbeauty.com/ Shelly Miller

    Joy, this is lovely. I’m thinking about all these same things today as I am on the heels of celebrating my son’s 13th converged with the untimely death of my brother on the same day. This life we live is fulfilled in looking in their eyes and touching skin and listening well. Glad you reposted, I was drawn here by God.

  • Beth

    Beautiful post, Joy. Thank you for sharing!