...Living intentionally...

I feel like I have heard that buzz phrase everywhere recently. Pinterest posts. Blogs that I read. Instagram accounts that I follow. I keep hearing--live with intention. And like anyone else, I nod my head and think to myself--wow, I really like that. What great advice.

The funny thing is. I'm still not sure that I completely know what it means to live intentionally. Then this morning, after school drop off I decided to ENJOY the morning. I intentioned (see what I did there) to not go and wash the breakfast dishes or make the beds or check all my sites and social media on my Ipad. I told myself--this morning I am going to stop and enjoy instead of getting lost in the busy.

So, thats what I did. I pulled into our driveway and pulled the stroller out of the trunk of our car. I buckled my little guy in and went for a long walk. When we we arrived back at home, I grabbed a fresh cup of coffee and then made myself go outside and sit in the sunshine as I enjoyed the cool morning air. I talked to my son. Studied the way his light brown hair curls at the back of his neck. We blew bubbles. We played catch with a bouncy blue ball. We put his shoes on and took them off about a million times. We played chase and had approximately 3 long tickle fights. And we just sat next to each other---me sipping my coffee while he sipped his milk from his favorite cup.

All I can say is that it was worth it. It was worth it to not begin tackling my long to do list as soon as I stepped foot in the door. It was worth it to hear my son's giggles and crawl around on the floor and to just---ENJOY! It was worth it to stop and enjoy this day, this season of life, and this time with my son. It was worth it, because the ironic thing is that although this morning I took time to sit and play and sip my coffee, I still got everything accomplished that I needed to. However,  instead of being annoyed that my son was in the way or getting into things while I was trying to get things done,  I intentionally spent time enjoying him and my morning and then I intentionally finished my list of tasks.

So perhaps, I now understand what all these other bloggers are talking about when they say to live with intention. They just mean to quiet the nagging voices reminding you that the floor needs to be vacuumed and the laundry is piling up and take a few moments, a half hour even, and just enjoy your life and the people in it. It's not an excuse to be lazy or to ignore responsibility, it is just an encouragement that at the end of the day you haven't only scratched everything off your to do list but you have also made a few memories and enjoyed some of the numerous blessings in your life.It is stopping to be thankful. It is living with purpose, not just checking things off a list.

So friends, I encourage you to enjoy your life by living your days with intention, not just living to get by (although there are seasons that feel like that sometimes). Celebrate the little moments. Even the mundane ones. It is worth it.