Chicken Noodle Moments

The darkness of the skies, the harshness of a winter that is sneaking in ahead of time, the exhaustion of hectic days that rush by leaving nothing but a blur, the stress of a busy schedule, the loneliness of an empty house...they all contribute to moments becoming fuzzy rather than memorable...

Every time I hit the pillow at night it's as if the day had dissipated in thin air, nothing tangible to grasp...gone...the minutes and hours all blended into one shapeless vapor...and me, behind, wrestling to contain it, only to see it slip through my fingers...nothing to capture...nothing to put away...nothing to savor...

Then, I read this phrase, a couple of days ago in a devotional I get on e-mail:  "make moments matter..."

The soft flow of the words poured into my soul like a delicious bowl of warm, comforting, home-made, hearty, soul-fortifying chicken noodle soup...mmm...

I love chicken noodle soup.  Some might find it too plain and simple.  I just think it is the perfect, classic, pick-me-upper meal especially when feeling low.  There is something about homemade chicken noodle soup that warms my heart and cheers my soul.  I LOVE the noodles!  They are specially great when homemade. I have to admit, though, I'm not crazy about the carrots and celery...I know...I'm not much of a vegetable girl.  They tend to get on the way of the really tasty stuff.  Specially if the carrots are too crunchy or too chunky...I often set them aside...sorry...but anyway, the only way to enjoy your favorite soup is one slow tablespoon at a time...well...I think that's what "making moments matter" should be like: a paced motion that moves at a soft beat.

"Make moments matter."  The phrase becomes a chant in my mind.  "Make moments matter." Force yourself to stop.  "Make moments matter." Force yourself to slow down at least.  "Make moments matter."  Force yourself to look up and out to the world around you.  "Make moments matter." Force yourself to pay attention.  "Make moments matter."  Force yourself to really listen.  "Make moments matter."  Force yourself to learn how to say no to what doesn't matter in order to embrace what does.

The same way I can't truly enjoy my perfect bowl of chicken noodle soup in a hurry because I'll burn everything between my lips and my esophagus...I cannot do life rushing through the days as if in a mad race...because I'll burn through everything that matters.

Today, I am encouraged by the fact that I have been made aware of the importance of being intentional about making moments matter.  And I pray that the Holy Spirit will help me do, whatever I need to do, in order to savor life one thick, tasty, totally awesome noodle at a time, even if there are some of those pesky carrots wrapped around them once in a while.