My wife, daughter and I recently celebrated 10 years of marriage with a recent Hawaiian cruise. As I reflect on 10 years of marriage and being blessed with a daughter, I am left with the idea that this life God gives us is like a photo album. Life will throw us a curve ball and we will have those less than desirable photogenic moments that don’t end up in our photo album. We will have the stressors of the world that weigh us down, but learning how to have a God sighting of seeing how the Creator is ever present in our world is important.
Sometimes one needs to go on a retreat, vacation or even a walk in the world around us outside our interior “cloistered” life to cherish God’s gifts. Think about your favorite vacation or family experience. How do we make that a habit of having such memories in our day to day living?
It’s much like the parable of the sower in the gospel where our lives should yearn for deep roots where we are continuously filled with joy at living out the Good News of the gospel with those around us. Living without anxiety per the Our Father prayer and acknowledging God’s kingdom alive and among us on earth just as it is in heaven should be the goal.
One thing we rely on too much is the luxury of instant photos with digital cameras and smartphones with enhanced photography capabilities. As Paul’s letter to the Colossians states, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Col. 3:2). I found on my trip there were some photos of the open sea and landscape that were way too beautiful to capture on camera. The same is true with those special moments of marriage and raising a daughter that can’t be captured in a photo or social media post. After retrospection, the memory of living in the present moment and being aware that God’s presence is always with us, especially in those joyous moments is an awareness we should strive for in the Christian life. We should reflect on those mental photo albums of our life that go straight to our soul. Reflecting on those great times and seasons of life is one way as Christians we can nourish our roots. We might call these moments God sightings – how do you see God in your midst each day in your relationship with others & the world around you?
A Joyful heart is the health of the body, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22
May the Lord bless you and keep you,
May the Lord make his face to shine upon you
and be gracious to you.
May the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you
and give you his peace. Amen (Numbers 6:24-26)
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