ENJOYING THE JOURNEY

I’m learning how important it is to enjoy the journey and not just be enthused with the final destination. The destination does define the journey, and of course, is very important. But we often spend much more time traveling than we do enjoying the final goal, so it’s wise to learn to appreciate the day-by-day things more.

Being of an impatient nature, it’s been my habit to focus on the goal and not pay a lot of attention to the details during the days leading up to it. Many times when I’ve been frustrated over having to wait days, months, or in some cases even years to reach a certain goal, I wasted a lot of time clock-watching, anxiously looking forward to what was coming, instead of enjoying each minute and the little blessings our Creator so lovingly gives me as each day unfolds.

For example, last January we made plans to visit my family in Portugal in August—and so I began my countdown. From that moment on, the most important thing each day was to get to the end of it, as that meant August would get here more quickly. This attitude resulted in me being bored with my daily activities instead of being thankful for the gift each moment of life truly is.

During these past months, I have listened to various talks that have helped to illustrate this lesson, and I think it’s getting through. Yesterday afternoon, my husband, David, and I went for a walk in a nearby park. We took along a picnic supper and ate there after our walk. We thoroughly enjoyed it, and our conversation was sprinkled with thanksgiving and positive comments about the blessing of being able to eat dinner in such beautiful surroundings, the health we enjoy, the peace that floods our souls, and most of all for a life that’s worth living.

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Hebrews 13:8 ESV / Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

1 Timothy 5:8 ESV / But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Matthew 5:38-39 ESV / “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.