Living in the Moment: A Real Life View

I am here today to take you on a little photo tour of our home in everyday real life. I am here as a simple wife, mother, and homemaker striving to live and treasure each and every moment. I am learning to grasp and seek out the treasured gifts in each day as they fly by my oft absent eye. I long for eyes to see.

And as I open my lens each picture captured is another gift bestowed to me. As I begin this scavenger hunt, my heart leaps within me to discover the joy around me. True joy results from looking beyond the mundane to see the beautiful.

“Wherever you are, be all there. It is only possible in the posture of eucharisteo (thanksgiving). Give thanks and see God. Full attention slows the current. Simplicity is a matter of focus. That keeps the focus simple.” – Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts

“The joy of God is the human being fully alive. And the life of the human consists in beholding God.” - Arasmus

Where do I behold God? How can I enter into His very presence in each moment? By seeing Him radiated in everything around me.

“It is up to each of us to set the example, to show by our actions our respect for intimacy, contemplation, and wonder. This is perhaps the greatest legacy we can bestow on our children: the capacity to be enchanted by the quiet gifts of everyday life.” – Katrina Kennison, Mitten Strings for God

And thus my gift list continues….

#357 – Little girl dressing up like a bride

#358 – The sweet helpfulness of 2 year old hands

#359 – Spring sun peeping through the clouds

#360 – Titus singing so beautifully on pitch without words

#361 – Blowing kisses to daddy

#362 – Titus making sure Daddy doesn’t forget to kiss Mommy goodbye

#363 – Little musicians strumming and banging to make music

#364 – For the daily workout of two stories of stairs

#365 – For a pile of dishes in the sink showing our bellies are full

#379 – Sketches across stone walkway

#380 – First blossoms of spring on the trees

“When I stop speeding through life, I find the joy in each days doings, in the life that cannot be bought, but only discovered, created, savored, and lived.” – Katrina Kennison

And thus the journey of savoring every moment continues…cultivating thankfulness, the key to the fullest life.

About Lindsay

Lindsay Edmonds is first a lover of Jesus, wife, mother of four, homemaker, and writer. She loves inspiring women around the world toward simple, natural, and intentional living for the glory of God.

20 Responses to Living in the Moment: A Real Life View

  1. Jill May 5, 2011 at 8:46 pm #

    What a great idea! This post was so encouraging to me. I think I need to carry my camera around with me one of these days…

  2. Ruthie May 3, 2011 at 11:05 am #

    I needed to be reminded that my sink full of dirty dishes is a reminder that we have full bellies. Thank you for that!

  3. Joanna May 1, 2011 at 7:14 pm #

    What a beautiful post! I love that you listed a sink full of dishes as something to be thankful for – I lose sight of that so easily and just get bogged down by the mess that cooking real food for my family can produce! I need to remember that those dishes worked to feed and sustain us. Thanks for that!

  4. p31earthmama May 1, 2011 at 4:11 pm #

    I can tell what book you are reading too! Thank God for cameras that discipline us to start to see our world in a different perspective. Thanks for sharing what you “see.”

  5. Judy April 30, 2011 at 5:08 am #

    Savor each one, we do not know how many we will have. Tomorrow is not a guarantee, we must not let the future consume the now. Today is truly a gift.

  6. Eveof4 April 30, 2011 at 4:56 am #

    Lindsay (and contributors!),
    Thank you for your posts (over the past month especially) that so beautifully and gracefully remind us of the truly important things in life and where our ultimate focus should be. As a homeschooling mother of four, I need these reminders daily as I frequently find myself overwhelmed with all of the things I “need” to get done, but when I open my e-mail to find such encouraging words, I truly breathe a sigh of relief as I’m reminded to turn over my selfish desires to our Lord and seek out His will for my day.
    The pictures and comments above are beautiful reminders of how to honor the Lord with our thoughts by CHOOSING to look at things that would easily be a discouragement (sink full of dirty dishes) with a thankful heart for the Lord’s blessing and provision.
    I praise the Lord that He’s using you to speak to us!

  7. Jessica April 29, 2011 at 9:26 pm #

    I loved this. I was just feeling tonight like my thoughts have been in a different place when I am with the people I love and I am missing out on what matters most when I allow myself to do that. Thank you for reminding me.

  8. Becca April 29, 2011 at 7:53 pm #

    yes, such a beautiful post; it reminds me of how deeply I desire to be thankful and intentional, but how often I take everything for granted.

  9. khit April 29, 2011 at 7:51 pm #

    Nice message! i often get overwhelm with household chores and our toddler. I have a lot of things to be thankful for.. a healthy body to take care of our place and my family..a very healthy and happy daughter and for a very hard working, loving husband who never fails to remind me that im the best wife and mom.

  10. rawkinmom April 29, 2011 at 7:01 pm #

    what a cute post!!! Inspiring!!! Thank you!

  11. Stefani April 29, 2011 at 6:59 pm #

    Truly love this post and something God is bringing me to, stopping to to give thanks. I am also reading Ann’s book. You have a lovely way of reflecting what the Lord is teaching you about eucharisteo!

  12. Lisa @ Bight Mama April 29, 2011 at 6:53 pm #

    I need to be like this more often!

  13. kel April 29, 2011 at 6:30 pm #

    A beautiful post , thank you.

  14. bobcat April 29, 2011 at 5:19 pm #

    This was a real inspiration to me today. Thank you! Makes me realize that there is much beauty in life. I am very grateful for it. Trying not to tear up! :)

  15. Tina B April 29, 2011 at 7:10 am #

    Thanks so much for sharing this reminder, Lindsay!!

  16. Mindy @ The Purposed Heart April 29, 2011 at 6:00 am #

    Beautiful pictures, and beautiful attitude of gratefulness!

  17. Erin April 29, 2011 at 4:24 am #

    I love the quotation about the glory of God being the human being fully alive. The correct source, though, is St. Irenaeus of Lyons, in his work “Against Heresies”, written in 185AD. The larger context is “The glory of God is man fully alive, and the life of man is the vision of God. If the revelation of God through creation already brings life to all living beings on the earth, how much more will the manifestation of the Father by the Word bring life to those who see God”. For more information about St. Irenaeus, please see:

    http://www.catholicity.com/encyclopedia/i/irenaeus,saint.html

  18. Allyson @ A Heart for Home April 29, 2011 at 3:39 am #

    Loved your gratitude. Such a wonderful way to stop and remember God’s goodness. Lovely photos.

  19. Mandy April 29, 2011 at 2:54 am #

    Love it!

  20. Emma April 29, 2011 at 1:21 am #

    Nicely said!