Not Missing the Memories Along the Way!

Ps 80: 3, 7, 19 - Restore us again... Restore us again... Restore us, cause Your face to shine (in pleasure, approval & favor on us)...

Ps 81:8, 10 - ... if you would listen to Me! (10) I am the Lord your God Who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide & I will fill it. 

Do you feel like sometimes you are thinking to yourself, "Restore me Lord, Restore me. Restore me." Or, "Just get me to 'that' place. Get me where I want to go. Get me there. Can I please just 'arrive.'"

Like a crop takes time to grow, so does your harvest. This morning as I journaled, read the Word and listened to the Lord, I felt like He was gently nudging me to remember, "If you will just listen to Me, I will fill your every desire." Similar to what the Psalmists said in Psalm 81, "...open your mouth wide & I will fill it."

As I was listening, I got a picture of a woman. She was standing in her kitchen area, holding a cup of warm coffee. As she peered out the window, steam floated off the fragile china-like mug. It was a brisk morning, fall was upon her and her family. She was not where she wanted to be in life, far from where she thought she would be at this point. Though, she smiled nonetheless. For today, she was going to enjoy and drink in every moment of what her day would bring. She was going to enjoy her kids. She was going to revel in the moment of laughter when her child said and did something funny. Today, she was going to enjoy the journey on the way to where she was going.

Maybe you feel you are in a "Joseph" place in your life. Be it in the pit or prison, maybe just accused of  something you did not do. But as it says in Psalm 81:8,10 - "If you would listen to ME! I am the Lord your God Who brought you up out of the land land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it." 

During this time, if you and I would listen to the Lord, HE will fill our every desire. Even during this time where we are on the journey to where we want to go, maybe seemingly far from our final "dream" destination, BUT, if we would listen to the Lord, He will even allow this journey-time to be enjoyable. Like the woman I saw, in the midst of the journey, we will be able to not miss the memory moments. We will be able to ENJOY every step of the way.

And like Joseph, do you know where our journey will end if we choose to listen to the Lord?! It will end up FUL-FILLED! And you will not miss a laugh, the first tooth your child loses, funny dance time, birthday surprises, game night, dinner joy .... buried away forever, in the recesses of your mind will be each memory and moment that you did not miss during this journey. When you reach the ultimate destination of your dream or goal, you will not feel like the journey was in vain because it is filled with precious memories along the way.

Today, the place where you are at, choose to find the JOY in each of todays moments. Close your eyes,  and take a snapshot of "this" moment, the funny faces of your child. Save the picture in your mind, they will not be young forever.

Enjoy today, find it's JOY. When you reach your final destination, you will have a photobook of amazing memories!