Enjoy each moment

Today I went to the funeral of my great Uncle. He was only 74 years old. He died as a result of a disease he has battled for several years now. The disease attacked his body in such a way that he eventually lost muscle function and movement of his ENTIRE body. He spent his last year and a half lying on his back in a bed in a nursing home.

At the funeral, one of his sons admitted that he is very bitter over the death of his father. He said that it wasn't fair that just when his dad was getting into his retirement and getting a chance to really enjoy life, his was taken away. The pastor commented later in the service that while he was a little bitter too over Charles early departure from this earth, that he was now in a better place where he wouldn't even miss the past 3 years or so he spent in pain. And the pastor also reminded us that we shouldn't wait until retirement to begin enjoying life. That we need to begin enjoying our life today.

That got me thinking about my life. How much of my life do I really enjoy? Do I enjoy "discussing" with my almost 4 year old why she can't have another snack after we just had that same discussion 5 minutes before? Do I enjoy changing 6 diapers a day, half of which are poopy - day after day after day after day...? Do I enjoy paying bills, doing laundry, cooking dinner, running countless errands to keep my family functioning, going to the grocery store??? My answer is no. But why don't I enjoy those things? Because they are things I can't stop doing, how can I begin to enjoy them? I don't have an answer but will be seeking God to help me find the joy in the daily tasks.

You see, I don't want to look back on my life in 30 years and wonder where the time went and wished I had enjoyed it more. This is my life, the life God designed and intended for me to have. He gave this life to me to enjoy and to make His name known. To not enjoy it would be an insult to my Creator - like I'm telling him the life he gave me is not good enough.

And by the way, who says I'll even be around in 30 years to wish for it all back. There is a quote that says, "Enjoy this moment, for this moment is your life."

What are you doing (or not doing) to enjoy this moment that God has given you? Please share - it may give me and others the encouragement we need to truly find the joy that God intended for us to have.