What are two mundane things you have done today?
I mean it. Mundane.
Don’t say, “I bought a new outfit today. That’s not mundane!”
After you have taken a moment to get the actions in your mind, contemplate whether or not there’s been a time when you have been unable to do those tasks.
For me, I answered the question with “brushing my teeth” and “tying my tennis shoes.” Apart from being a very small child, there have only been a couple of instances when I have been unable to accomplish these mundane tasks.
I remember one of my last conversations with a friend before she passed away. She said she wished that she could stand up and walk to her chair without losing her breath.
When she shared, I prayed. But I also took a moment to be thankful for what I have.
Each of my days is filled with hope, goals, and oftentimes mundane worries. Here are a few of my worries and how I am choosing to re-frame them.
WORRY: My kids often drive me a bit “crazy.”
REFRAMED: I am thankful for my kids. They are an answer to prayer. I can get better at teaching them to be good kids. And they are good kids. Most of the time.
WORRY: My pantry is growing empty and reminding me that I have trouble balancing everything in life.
REFRAMED: I have the means to fill them. And who wrote the rule book saying that my cupboards need to be stocked anyway?
WORRY: The dreams inside me often feel like they are about to crush me. (Ok. Ok. I realize these worries aren’t exactly mundane. But in light of so many other people’s worries, I’ll call them mundane.)
REFRAMED: I have the ability to slow down, take a breath, and choose to be satisfied with what I have. And overall, who is putting the most pressure on me? (That’d be me!)
Today, I can breathe. I can walk outside. I can freely lift my hands in worship. I can play. I can laugh. I can still win [some] foot-races with my kids. I have so many things.
On this earth, I will never have everything. But there will be a day when I can do less. I do not want to look back and wish I had treasured what I have.
So I step back and take a moment to thank God for the mundane. I appreciate that I can brush my teeth and tie my shoes.
Perhaps you have read this and thought, but I don’t have kids. Or I cannot even brush my own teeth. I can reflect back upon my friend’s life and remember that although she didn’t get the chance to have kids, and she lost the ability to enjoy many of the mundane pleasures of this life, she had what many of us can never find...joy.
If you find yourself lacking joy, I spent some time praying for you today. I prayed that God would comfort you and enable you to reframe your worries, too. True joy only comes from the Father.
We can experience joy...even in the mundane.
-Ashley
This blog was inspired by my friend, Dawn Beckgerd, who lost her earthly life but continues to inspire people through the legacy she left behind. True contentment and joy are a result of the presence of God’s Spirit in our lives. If you would like to experience God’s presence in your life, all you have to do is ask Him. If you’d like me to pray with you, I would love that privilege.
