Learn to enjoy the mundane.
The everyday life.
The dishes (You like clean dishes, don’t you? And, you’re thankful for clean water, right?)
Brushing your teeth (Don’t they feel better when you do?)
Mowing your grass (I just love that freshly mowed look)
Smelling a rose (They smell best among the flowers…in my opinion)
Admiring the clouds. (I like Cumulus)
Having a discussion over coffee. (Cheryl and I have our best talks then)
A simple walk in the park (On a sunny, or not so sunny day)
A random thought (Some of my best ideas start that way)
A routine prayer (Okay…nothing mundane about that, but sometimes we take it for granted)
A text message from a friend (At least you have one)
An average Sunday at church (Thank God for the freedom to attend)
We tend to love the grandiose. The unusual. The vacation. The miracles. The shooting star. The celebrations. The once in a lifetime experience.
Those times are great. We love them. We want more. Nothing wrong with that.
The problem is when our happiness is wrapped in those occasions alone. Life is often lived in the mundane. Most of life, in fact.
Get up. Shower. Brush. Shave. (Or not) Dress. Drive. Work. Come home. Go to bed. Do it again. And again. In between those routines are the real moments of life. Even if seemingly mundane…non-miraculous.
Learning to love the mundane times of life, scattered among the routines of life, will help you find a lifetime of contentment.
What’s one seemingly mundane thing in life you love?
I like your article for its quality content you have. I personally enjoyed your post and would love to disseminate.
I have a 1 hour commute to work, which means a 1 hour commute from work. It used to be so boring, but then I started downloading podcast of various preachers like John Piper, Brian Borgman, S Lewis Johnson, Tim Conway, Paul Washer, etc and I've found a way to make something that was mundane and turn it into one of my most exciting times of the day.
Also, sunsets are pretty mundane to a lot of people because you see one just about every night. I love to go sit out on the back porch and watch the sun go down. I love to see the splendor of God's creation reflected in the hues of the sky and the color upon the clouds.
We take so much for granted, which is what I think your article is driving at. As they say, sometimes it is nice to stop and smell the roses, or as is the case were I live, the occasional skunk.
Henry is definitely a deterrent when things seem chaotic or I need a break. Something I learned from watching you, but never fully realized how much taking 5 minutes to play with him breaks up the stress.
Ha! NaJe was a stress reliever!
Thanks Amy.
I feel most content after I've taken a shower in the evening, I'm in clean pj's and my cozy robe. There's something about being clean and warm that's super comforting. I'm so blessed that I have hot water, shampoo, and soap. Those are three things that, for some reason, I never take for granted.
Some mundane things in life which I still find it difficult to love:
~ Driving daily to office and returning back. (Many times, I feel commuting as the most irritable moments in a day)
~ Washing and ironing my clothes.
~ Shaving my beard (To be frank, I find this still cruelsome)
Yes yes yes to each of these.
So thankful for those mundane times of rest and family time. Makes me appreciate the little time some weeks I have with the ones I love. Ministers must guard that precious time.
Amen. Absolutely.
A warm shower.
Yes. I've been without one a few times and learned to appreciate.
I love being in my kitchen baking something yummy for the family or to share with my neighbors. I find it very peaceful and a way to connect with others.
Love this
I love just being able to take a few moments to look outside. Looking at the things God created soothes my soul. I think it also reminds me of the bigger view the Lord has. He has the all encompassing view, and I can rest in that (and do the mundane things).
Amen