The Next Big Thing

I just had a great conversation on the phone with a couple of girlfriends from college tonight. One of the girls had suggested a book to me last week called Cold Tangerines in response to a comment I had made about wanting to know God all over again. Long story short, I grew up in a Christian home, went to a Christian college and have spent my whole life, essentially, in the church. I've just come to a place of feeling like I'm only walking through motions. I don't have an overwhelming passion to know God and who He is as much as I have in the past. It just feels stale at the moment. So anyways, I looked up the author and was able to read an excerpt from the book, which I fully intend to purchase this week, and it was incredible. The author talked about the "next big thing" we always seem to be holding out for. I completely relate to this! It was a definite "a ha" moment for me. How often do you hear this sort of phrase coming out of your mouth, "When I do ____ ____ ____ then I'll feel like I've arrived/made it/found my purpose/etc,"? This is me! In my mind I've thought, "If I can just get a little skinnier, than all will be well" or "If I can just get promoted, then I'll feel like I've really made it," or "When I get married, that's when my life will really begin." The thing is, even when those things happen, I'll probably still want more. But...what about now? What about the moment we're in right this very minute? I've begun to realize that I spend my days with my head down, just barreling through life without even stopping to see the purpose in the little everyday things. I downplay moments where I engage in great conversation with other people, or have an opportunity to help someone in need, or to watch the sunset or laugh hysterically over fond memories. Life has become stale, because I'm too focused on wanting a big "God Moment" where the heavens part and I hear the audible voice of the Lord saying something incredibly profound to me. All the while, I'm missing His still small voice in my daily journey. So this this is what I'm learning: take a moment to really appreciate all that's around you today. Don't let those seemingly small moments slip past you. Over time those small things build to become something really significant.