Godspeed & God Bless

Moments: the culmination of one's thoughts formed into experiences in a mental frame.

Designed to be reminisced, anticipated, appreciated, and cherished.

Just as a little girl who anticipated making fond memories at Disneyland, I hunted down who I thought was my princess doppelganger, Cinderella, and waited in line to take that photograph with her. In a quick flash that precious, anticipated moment was soon enough designed, experienced, and done.

Anticipation no longer, but rather, a mere moment in the abyss of a wide and vast pool of memories.

Even yet as a 20-year-old who so eagerly waited for my spring break in Orlando, Florida, I anticipated that moment I would have when I would finally sip on Butterbeer at the Harry Potter Wizarding World. The magical music, my adolescence brought to life, and now the dreadful car ride back to the hotel after a day of walking and admiring all sights and sounds.

There is something so deeply mysterious about wanting to hold onto memories. But even more so, something so amazingly curious and holy about knowingly entering into new moments and wanting to live a little longer in those last 24 hours that have our heart beating with excitement...not quite ready to let those certain memories unfold just yet.

For many, maybe the familiar feeling of graduation has now become surreal, the chapter has closed and now only time will tell what new moments will bring. Perhaps we are not quite ready to experience those indescribable feelings of moving away to school at the end of this summer, nor the big wedding day, nor the new job, maybe even being settled back at home after having a routine of the monotonous days at school.

Or maybe the anticipation of moments have been painful ones. Not ready to experience a last handhold, goodbyes, "see ya later's", "I'll miss you", or that crushing moment for a desperate plea of prayer.

Moments.

For me, in a short two weeks the moments I had prayed about are soon to unfold and are nearing closer. Whether this be the transformational change of living on my own away from home in Cincinnati and finding ways to design a bedroom, or if it be the moment I'll experience my 21st birthday and feeling like a "sophisticated adult" when ordering a drink, or perhaps learning and experiencing the responsibilities of working as an intern at Dynamic Catholic and not only fostering my skills to better equip me for my future endeavors, but to also bloom in my faith surrounded by like-minded people...or the moment I embrace my best friend on her return from Chile after 5 months just to turn around and say my goodbyes for my adventure abroad in Rome and working with Syrian refugees...moments will soon overflow.

My life has been a masterpiece of wondrous moments. Trialing moments. Precious moments. Forgetful moments. Embarrassing moments. Mistaken moments. Spiritually dry moments. Overwhelming ones. Hilarious ones. Healing ones.

The illustration of the woman I stand to be today has been painted by the moments that have stretched me thin and sealed me firm.

But these moments have never been mere coincidences or happenstance experiences.

No.

The moments already explored and yet to be discovered are moments that a Lord has romantically wooed me through on a path that is lit step by step and saturated purely by His graces.

And honestly, I find myself numb to this realization.

These inexpressible, insurmountable, indescribable moments are roaring closer to me. Ever-present! A tad of sadness, a bunch of nerves, and a heck of a lot of peace. Why? Because I know these moments are handcrafted by the Maker that sought me out to bring me strength, depth, peace, joy, change, and gratitude into my life.

But above all, I know there is peace in these moments because they are His for me. The eyes He has offered me have the blessed opportunity to see His mysterious glory. The ears he formed before me are the ones He granted me to be inspired by through the words and laughter of other people and the beauty of nature's songs. These hands? Yes, these are His that He gave to me so I can reach the tiny little hands of my nephew to hold or that Syrian refugee that will reach out for my touch, the ones I can write with, the ones I can feel the earthy soil under my nails with. And this mind? Well, there is no thing like it. A mind that was gifted to ask questions and to pester my roommates with when philosophical conversations capture my beating heart. This heart too? Yes, it is the same one that Christ wrote His very Word on. His very Word has been inscribed on the outer layer of my very fragile heart. And why its outer layer? Because the moments that bring me to tears, the ones that break my heart to allow clarity to flood in, also allow His Words to finally seep into the broken, shattered cracks of that same heart so I may be soaked in His sacrificial love.

All of me has been made by One. And all of these moments create a storybook that as one moment reaches its finality, its utter totality, another one may be born.

So although I may be restless in the thoughts that traveling to international airports may be a strenuous process...

Although I may be restless in finding new cooking recipes when I am on my own in Cincinnati...

Although I may be restless in diving head-first into a study abroad program that no one at my university has ever done before and having to start fresh with friends...

And although I may be restless being immersed in a culture that speaks a foreign language and possibly messing up when I place an order at a restaurant...

I sure may be restless in these memories that I have not even experienced yet, but at the same time I find myself at rest knowing this desire to study abroad in Rome is another moment the Lord has been beating effortlessly on my heart for some time now to allow me to see, to hear, to touch, to taste, to encounter.

This effortless desire to be curious, and wondrous, and like my wide-eyed thrill to bask in that child-like Cinderella hunt, I have moved onto other treasure hunts now.

But in this new treasure hunt, I imagine rest when I close my eyes and can imagine myself at St. Peter's Square for Mother Teresa's canonization, or being enthralled by the rolling green hills of Ireland and checking off my bucket list to get a selfie with a lamb, or cheering at Oktoberfest in Germany...

I find rest when I imagine myself journaling on that long flight from country to country, documenting the other moments that had resonated with me.

Above all, I find rest knowing that the Lord has called me to a new season of moments.

I pray that this unknown treasure hunt of mine is bathed in the Holy Spirit's infused presence of inspiration alone and that all its riches may be beacons of light to the people I encounter and the places I step foot upon.

May the gracious and giving Father bless your moments and the rebirth of new ones, that you too may find solace in them so your moments may be shared in the company of others.

Bask in your moments. Cherish in your moments. Pray prayers of gratitude and blessings for your moments. And, I hope to Lord you find strength and courage within to share your moments.

Therefore, Godspeed and God Bless to you in every enduring moment.

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