Thankful for the Precious Moments

So good to be back home in T-Town! Always thankful to go.....and thankful to be back home. Quite frankly..... ”thankful” has become my default emotion. Thankful for my life, thankful for family, thankful for friends, and, thankful that I choose to be thankful. I'm especially thankful for the precious moments in my life, and so thankful God gives me wisdom for the moments. He does that, by the way, as I seek His advice even in the smallest details. Looking back….at the times that just seemed routine and non-momentous, are now some of the most precious of them all. Every moment is a moment to be cherished. – because we will NEVER have that moment again. It’s gone. That’s why I make such big deals of MOMENTS.

Here’s an example: Before I left Tulsa, I was accompanying a friend while she shopped. I saw a Kevin Durant (OKC Thunder MVP) sport shirt just in the size of my grandson, Brennan, whose birthday is on July 2nd. It was a “find” – the Thunder are right up there with our Oklahoma roots family. I knew I had to buy it – besides, it was on sale. I took it with me to WA to give to Brennan while I was there, since I’d be back home in Tulsa on his actual birthday. Turning 10 is a big year – gotta' celebrate double-digits. So, I kept my ears and eyes open while in WA. He’s such a great Little League baseball player, and even made the All Star Team (BTW – they won their first All Star game today – continuing to win could lead to a State championship – that would definitely merit a return trip to WA -- LOL). I became the #1 Fan of the team while I was there. Though there were just practices, Nana was there watching my boy play – I embraced the moments. I noticed that most of the boys’ baseball bags had wheels on them, and his Mom told me Brennan's bag was worn from dragging it because his had no wheels. Aha! Birthday idea. So we started looking, and indeed we did find just the one – navy blue like the team colors, more pockets, wheels, and, we had it embroidered with his name and his team’s name.

Last night Nana was able to have the big REVEAL. Just after his shower and before going to bed (and the night before his first All Star game), I told him I wanted to give him his BD present. First, he opened the handmade card I made for him (that’s my “thing” – using graphics to create a special "Nana" card – and of course, I created a magazine cover with Brennan in his baseball uniform). He first opened his Kevin Durant shirt – he loved it, and it was especially endearing to me that he had talked so fondly of Kevin Durant while I was there. Just yesterday we were talking about surprises and he told me "I'm never surprised -- like at Christmas I overheard Mom & Dad talking about my present!" Then I announced "I have one more gift for you -- wait right here!" When I turned the corner with his new bag, his little hands covered his mouth as he was in shock and awe. This time, he WAS surprised. The effort, the time, the joy of research and completion was so worth it. It was a MOMENT -- maybe not one of those defining moments, but indeed it was a moment that will live with me forever.

We can grasp this idea today and start appreciating every small thing that is already great in our lives. We often forget those good things because we're looking back in the past, or what we don't have in the present!! Let's be so thankful for the blessings of MOMENTS we have today, and let's celebrate them with gusto!!