Thursday, June 21, 2012

The Gift of Right Now

Last night I had what I would call an "awakening." Feeling that I've given too little time to God over the course of my life, too little time to prayer, too much time to trivialities, I experienced a different reaction than I've had to such thoughts in the past.

Rather than my usual "woe is me, I've wasted too much time, I'll never 'make up for it..,'" last night I felt a gentle whisper of hope.  If I could put it into a sentence, it was as if I sensed the words: "but you have right now."

I have right now.  Knowing this in a kind of "flash," I realized that I could not turn back the clock and re-live minutes of years ago, last week, or even yesterday morning.  However, I had the moment of right then.  I could pray at that very instant, talking spontaneously to God, and I did so.  I could choose anew to live for Christ, in that moment, and I did so.

I have forgotten to pray more often than I'd like to admit during the course of my life; sometimes I find prayer a struggle.  But in each moment, I am given a new opportunity.  A fresh, shining, precious chance to at least speak to God when I think of Him.  A moment in which I can connect with Him, offer a word of thanks or praise; a moment in which I can start anew.

"Every moment comes to us pregnant with a command from God, only to pass on and plunge into eternity, there to remain forever what we have made it."  (St. Francis de Sales)

I have Right Now.

14 comments:

  1. This is so beautiful, Nancy! Yes, we have right now and right now is a huge blessing! A "present" to each and every one of us.

    God bless :)

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  2. Really wonderful post! I love the concept of the idea that when we immerse ourselves in the present, there is *timelessness* and we have entered eternity. I read that somewhere before and it sticks in my mind...so profound.

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  3. Thank you so much, Mary and Theresa! I began wondering this morning if I would be able to keep thinking this way, and then it hit me: "THAT'S not very 'right now!' :)"

    I love the concept of entering eternity when we immerse ourselves in the present; yes, that is indeed profound. More so, the more I ponder it....

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  4. Thank you, Victor, for an ideal summary. Amen.

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  5. Wonderful! Living in the present moment is so elusive because the present keeps shifting into the future...Thanks for your beautiful words!

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    1. Yes, Anne.. that is so right. A song from the (60s? 70s?) is now flitting through my mind... "Elusive Butterfly." I might even come up with my own words and sing it (inwardly) as a prayer! Since I can't remember more than a few of the original words, that shouldn't be a problem :). Thank you so much!

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  6. Awesome! "...but you have right now"! God has spoken to me today...right through YOUR post! Thank you! Oh, thank you!

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    1. Nancy, thank you for telling me this... I am touched to the core. He has been speaking these same words over and over to me since they first came to me 2 nights ago.. "you have right now." May He be glorified in all of our right nows.

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  7. You are my inspiration in many ways, Nancy. I read and reread your posts. I was here earlier today and read this post. It's been on my mind ever since. While I was watering my garden, I thought back to a post I had written a while ago about my "word" for this year. (Something I focus on through the year.) Originally, I thought about choosing the word "prayerful", but I didn't. I picked another word instead. After reading this and pondering ... I decided I'm changing my word. Prayerful is the word I should have picked in the first place. Why can't I change it, right?

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    1. Right - why not?! :) I love the idea of picking a "word" for the year, and am going to look back over your posts for this. And thank you so, so much, Holly!

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  8. Nancy,
    Love the thoughts. Now, I have now. I love your writing. It pulls me in.

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    1. Mary, thank you very much for such kind words!!!!

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  9. This is beautiful! Yes, yes, yes.

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