Living in this Moment

By Ana Borden

Before Halloween costumes were even conceived, anxiety began to creep in when I started receiving messages regarding Christmas presents for the kids and plans for the holidays.
Don’t get me wrong – we are utterly thankful that our children are in the thoughts of our loved ones, but between September and into the New Year, it is a challenging time not only juggling the normal everyday activities but the additional responsibilities of the holidays.

It also seems that the pressure of gift giving and the over commercialization of the holiday season in our stores comes earlier each year and is disconnected with the true meaning of the Christmas season that I want our children to understand and embrace.

I also think the anxiety that I feel is partly knowing that there are expectations and commitments in the future, instead of being able to enjoy and focus on the present.

Since my profession entails an enormous amount of planning and anticipating all different types of scenarios, I find that when it comes to our family life, I have to disengage my initial reaction to plan so far in the future because I would be missing the daily and weekly gifts and opportunities God presents right in front of my eyes.

It is through prayer that I reconnect at the end and start of every day to evaluate what IS important at that moment and day in time.

Obviously, planning to a certain extent is important in every family life, for example, buying materials and finding patterns to make those precious Halloween costumes. But, if I am distracted, inflexible and taking time, people and resources for granted, then I am missing one of the most precious gifts God gives us – this very moment.

Where do you see God in moments of anxiety?