Be ready for the little moments

By Jeff Becraft

Life is made up of moments.

The thing is, there are many moments you really can’t orchestrate.

As Aslan says to Lucy in the movie Prince Caspian (and I’ve talked about this before… it is a very important principle), “Nothing ever happens the same way twice.”

But we can go into moments with our head up, our eyes open, a heart full of thankfulness, expectation of what might happen next, and an attitude of love and faithfulness to love those around us.

Now, there are big moments in life… things you plan for, things that are part of the strategy for that day or that week or that year, and those are important… but that’s not really the moments I’m talking about.

It is the little moments, the moments that are around and in the big moments (and even when the big moments are not even on the radar for that day)… the moments that are mostly impromptu. And again, we can’t control those moments, we can’t orchestrate those moments… but we can go into those moments living out each moment to the fullest.

For instance, later on this month, I will be going to a camp called SOTO out in boogah cheetah in Arkansas. It is a camp for kids who are living in children’s homes. And there are some big moments out there. For instance, like going on the cliffhanger – which is this giant swing between two telephone poles that swings out over a cliff. And being a person who is scared of heights, that can get your attention. I would call that a big moment.

But those are not the only moments for me that I remember. Sometimes, the moments I remember the most are the little moments. The moments I’ll remember are like stopping at a rest area or gas station on the way. Or like getting up first thing in the morning and going in and starting to make breakfast at 6:30 in the morning. There are a few other people up at that time, and there is a peace and a calm and some interaction between those up early.

This happens at other camps and retreats also. I found that being an old and grumpy, type 1 diabetic, it is just better if I stick with my regular routine, which means I need to eat protein first thing in the morning. A lot of times when you have breakfast with kids, there’s all kinds of things in there that can rock the boat. Like Frosted Flakes (instant diabetes… just add water) is not really the best way to start the day for me.

So I will get up and I’ll make my own breakfast before the other crowd is in there. At the Garden City camp, there will be Billy and Jeannie, who are in charge of the kitchen. Billy and Jeanie are two of the most wonderful, loving people on the planet and they are the oldest in the whole group. They have been married for a gazillion years and it is fun to watch them interact in the kitchen. One of the highlights of that whole week for me will be those little moments in the kitchen with them while they are getting breakfast ready for the whole group and I am over there right next to them making my own breakfast and getting in the way. In that interaction before the day starts (when the big moments will start), those are some of the highlights of the whole week for me.

For instance, the stove… not every burner works on the stove. So I am trying to find the burner that works that morning and Billy comes over there, turning every knob and pushing every button he can find. And I say (to no one in particular), “Man… Billy’s over here pushing all the buttons.” To which he quips, “Well, as long as I’m not pushing her buttons.”

Marital wisdom right there early in the morning while holding a carton of eggs.

It is those little moments I hang on to.

And so I encourage us…. those moments are to be enjoyed. Once a moment passes, it passes… we’ll never get it back again. So, while we plan and prepare for big moments, be ready for the little moments. Have a heart of faithfulness and love, and go into those moments with your head up, looking for what’s going on in other people’s lives, and looking to connect with them and encourage them in some way.

Jeff Becraft is the Director of Our Place of Hope located in Columbia, South Carolina, where people find encouragement to regain meaning, purpose, and hope for their lives. Jeff has dedicated much of his life to helping shift the vision of people’s lives. If you would like Jeff to speak to your group or event, you can connect with him at  [email protected].