Recently, while rushing back from walking my dogs – so I could shower quickly, eat breakfast, race through my devotions, and tackle the days emails, articles, posts and projects sitting before me — I heard a quiet voice that told me to slow down.

Being a Type A personality, I have always struggled with slowing down. I innately like the fast lane. Unfortunately, my life has changed so that my body no longer likes the fast lane. Despite that realization, I still struggled with slowing down.

That is until a few days ago.

I realize that I have special “moments” and once those moments are gone, I can’t get them back. If I rush through them I find myself full of regret for not having savored them. I also realize that I miss all the blessings that God puts in front of me every day because I am looking elsewhere.

These days I take my walks without a watch so that time won’t encroach on my quiet moments. I like to sit by a river with my Pugs and take in the warm sun on my face, listen to the birds singing their morning ballads, and watch the squirrels scurry for their next snack.

As I sit taking in all the wonderful sights and sounds of nature, I began to notice a change in my body. The usual stress that was there had ebbed away leaving me feeling relaxed and amazingly, refreshed.

It was then that I realized that every moment I savor is a memory made. In rushing from one task to the next, I had not only missed the moments but I lost the memory I might have created by savoring those special times in my life. Suddenly, I understood that it is these particular moments that God gives me to carry me through the day to the next.

These days, it is easy to rush past the many moments God wants to reveal to us.

We must make a concerted effort to stop and savor the time that He has given us so that we will have memories to carry us forward. I encourage you savor your moments. If you are with your child, savor those moments. If you are working, savor those as well. If you are with loved ones, savor the time you spend with them.

I find it amazing when we change our perspective from getting things accomplished to savoring each and every moment — how much more enjoyable the days become. So, when you start your day today, remember: a Moment Savored is a Memory Made.

Author Information

Dominique Small is a writer who tells her story about battling Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/CFIDS) and Fibromyalgia (FMS) from a Christian perspective. Residing in Oklahoma with her two pugs, Dominique chronicles her experiences through her regularly updated weblog 4 Walls and A View.

Photo Credit: Alfred Borchard

Popularity: 18% [?]

Starting on Monday, November 16th, National Collection Week for the 2009 Operation Christmas Child shoe box campaign gets underway. Lots of people will be packing boxes this year, so much so that Samaritan’s Purse hopes that more than 8 million children will be reached around the world.

EZ Give

One new feature that may be of interest to contributors is that if you make an online donation to cover the cost of shipping your shoe box, then you can also get the tracking code to learn where your gift is going. Samaritan’s Purse asks donors to contribute $7 per packed box to help defray shipping costs and if you make that donation online you can print out a tracking label to be taped to your shoe box.

That label features what is called an EZ Give barcode which connects to your email address. You will receive an e-mail telling you the destination of your gift, along with information about Operation Christmas Child in that country. If your boxes go to more than one country, you will receive more than one e-mail.

A pretty nifty idea, right? I think so. We already had our labels affixed to the four shoe boxes we pack when I discovered this feature, but it was an easy thing to make payment online and print out new labels to replace the ones we had already selected. This was important for us because when a gift is sent overseas, we’d like for our children to understand a bit more about the conditions in that country.

Email Follow-up

Though our children may not know specifically who received their gift, we can then follow up that email to talk about what these children experience in their every day lives. Importantly, we can pray for them.

I’ve added a video of a shoe box campaign in the Republic of Georgia where children caught in the crossfire of a regional war were helped. For many children, the shoe box gift is their only gift at Christmas, perhaps the brightest gift they’ve receive all year.

Popularity: 51% [?]

When the women of our church head out for retreat they enjoy a fine hotel and all of the amenities. For us guys, we get something like this!

That church retreat might do you some good

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service (Romans 12:1).

Retreat Time

My wife is heading out today for a woman’s retreat, an event she has been looking forward to for several months now. She will be gone for two nights, returning on Sunday afternoon, but not before spending plenty of time studying scripture, participating in worship, fellowshipping with her sisters, and allowing God to speak to her heart.

Meanwhile, back on the ranch I’ll be busy with our two boys and thinking ahead to next weekend when us guys go away on our own retreat!

Seriously, I hope and pray that this is a good time for my wife and for each of the women who are planning to be there. I like retreats: they are a chance to get away from it all, catch up with people, eat “okay” food, but above all else minster to and be ministered by God.

Heading Out

Ever since our children were small, my wife and I have been going on retreats. In 2003, we took in our first and only family retreat, but it wasn’t what we expected: with two toddlers in tow we were busy meeting their needs, while missing out on ours. After that, we decided that the best way for us to get something out of a retreat was to go to our respective women’s and men’s retreats.

That move has proved to be a blessing each time.

I know of some people who never go on retreats. I’ve heard all kinds of reasons why they don’t go including family obligations, work responsibilities, inability to sleep anywhere but at home, not liking the food, and more.

I suppose there are always reasons not to get away, but I can think of many reasons why you might and probably should including:

You Need It – There is a selfish component for why you need to go on a retreat: you need it. As men and women of God, we’re constantly pouring out and finding ourselves under assault by the world, our flesh, and our mortal enemy, the devil.

Oftentimes we simply don’t recognize that we’re being hassled, frightened, beaten or otherwise worn down, needing a change of scenery to help us regroup.

Your Presence – Though I’ve been blessed by any number of teachings I have heard while on a retreat, I look forward to seeing other men including meeting some for the first time. Women seem to be naturals when it comes to taking in a retreat, enjoying snacks with each other, swapping stories, laughing, praying together, and just having a whole lot of fun.

Guys are a bit more low key, but I must confess that I recall friend’s faces and conversations more readily than I do most of the teachings. That may not be so bad because I get regular feedings of God’s Word, but not enough time for fellowship with men. You may think your absence will go unnoticed, but I like to think that your presence means something to other men.

Your Heart – Life is a journey and the road is certainly a long one. I must confess that there are times in my life when I find myself terribly distracted and not focused on the Lord. I get into “guy mode” where I try to handle everything on my own. Sometimes that works out for awhile, but generally I end up getting short with my wife or boys, tempted to take short cuts with work, or otherwise blowing my witness.

Let me be candid about retreats: God has something special in store for you, but you have to do your part by recognizing your own need. Worship, a particular message, an unexpected conversation or interaction with another person can go far in speaking to your heart. We’re not meant to set out on this journey of life by ourselves particularly these days when our core beliefs are under constant assault.

Ephesians 6:11 tells us that we can’t be engaged in the battle unless we first put on the armor of God. As in any battle we are supported by fellow soldiers (men and women) and we follow our commander, who is Jesus Christ.

Seek God

This missive isn’t meant to be a guilt inducer. That’s not my style. Rather, I hope that I am speaking to your heart if an opportunity to get away with God presents itself and you’re not sure what you’re going to do.

Consider all that God has for you and take of His riches. On the surface there may not be much there, but dig a little deeper and you may be surprised at what you turn up.

Photo Credit: Atif Gulzar

Popularity: 12% [?]