The modern movement of mindfulness is a gift to humanity, and to creation! While the scriptures don’t use the exact language, I do believe that much of Jesus’ teaching is rooted in the invitation to live life from a place of mindfulness. For example, when trying to help people understand the struggle of worry, he in essence says, “Consider the lilies of the field, the birds of the air…” He is using that which is right in front of them to pull them to the present moment to set their minds on the faithfulness of God. Read Matthew 6:25-34.

Mindfulness, as used in our modern day, is an invitation to attentiveness. It is a call to purposely live in this one, precious moment, and allow the overwhelming ‘wowness’ to enter into you. Much of life is lived on autopilot. We move through the motions of life without receiving the gift of the moment and all that has gone in to making it possible.

For example, take a simple meal. We hurry up to eat our food and never consider all that has gone into getting to our plate from cultivating fields, raising livestock, production of a packaged good, distribution, purchasing to cooking. We often just sit and eat. But what if we really paid attention and gave thanks to the farmer, the assembly line worker, the truck driver, the stock person, the one who planned the meal (yourself?!), and most importantly, God for allowing this gift of nourishment to be received?

Today, I challenge you to take one objective thing of your life and keep it in the forefront of your mind to be wowed with it. Perhaps it is watching the movement of the sun from its rise to its setting. Maybe it is slowing down in your walking and noticing what is around you. Perhaps it is sitting for ten minutes with no agenda…and just being. Go ahead, try it!