Today is the day

The sky where I live is always moving. Wind and clouds are an every-day experience here.

I sat and watched the clouds roll by today. Have you ever taken the chance to sit and just watch the clouds? Recently? ...have you taken a long, drawn-out, quiet look?

Today I watched as they slowly moved by--- in one moment blocking the sun's rays and then releasing her shine and heat in the next moment. And, it was glorious! These mundane, "every-day" wind-blown clouds were better entertainment than any fireworks display I recall.

I saw it today.

Most days... maybe everyday... I have these opportunities. I have these moments to see. How often do I look?

Eyes to see. Give me eyes to see these now-moments, Lord.

My friend recently wrote a post about these "eyes to see" moments. I have been reflecting on it since reading her thoughts.

This was to be my "Year of Presence" as I named it in January. 2011 was to be a year to learn more what it meant to be alive and present...to be fully awake and aware. I want to see more! To be more present in the every day "nows" of my every day life--- to have eyes to see these glorious moments amidst the mundane.

I am learning. Slowly, but surely, He is teaching me to see. He is teaching me to stop and look.

"The real problem of the Christian life comes where people do not usually look for it. It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back, in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view… Letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day. Standing back from all your natural fussing and fretting coming in out of the wind.”

~C. S. Lewis

Today. Each and every day, the "wind" of the mundane blows those clouds right by my sky. I don't often see them. My fussing and my fretting can so easily draw my attention out of the now ---into yesterday or tomorrow. Instead, I can choose to let that "larger, stronger and quieter life" direct me and flow in me. I can ask Him for eyes to see. I can ask for quiet moments to look, to gaze, to watch.

Give me eyes to see... to really see... Lord.