Change sometimes tiptoes in. Maybe at times, it catches us off guard. But mainly it slows down bidding us to attend to the moment.
“Pay attention,” it whispers. It is nudging us to see the beauty set before us…the extraordinary in the ordinary.
So, I have a choice to make: will I attend to the moment – paying attention to the tiniest detail? Or will I rush away the gifts of slowness and attention?
The late American poet Mary Oliver writes, “Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.”
Seasons are an open invitation to do just this – to slow down and attend to the moment.
The changing season is an opportunity to be astonished with beauty and not be sidetracked by hurry; a chance to accept that the details that decorate our moments hold eternal weight; they also point us to the beauty bestowed on us by our Creator.
The wise writer of Ecclesiastes wrote,
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”
Ecclesiastes 3:11 ESV
5 Postures to Find the Extraordinary in the Ordinary
The following five postures provide tethers to our present moment while also reminding us that it is only by His grace we find the extraordinary in the ordinary.
Truly, it is only through Him that we live and move and have our being.
Acts 17:28
Posture #1 for Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary
In our first posture for finding the extraordinary in the ordinary, we posture our souls to attend to the moment before us and pay attention to all of our senses.
Because this soul of ours is made to attend to the present it feels overwhelmed with anxiety when it is focused on the future or the past.
As we learn to attend to the moment we find that we are grounded in the present while creating space for eternity to take root in our heart.
Posture #2 for Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary
For our second posture, we behold with expectation.
Behold the beauty of the migrating birds flying overhead, hear their calls as they journey together.
Be astonished by the golden hues erupting on the leaves seemingly overnight.
Take a mental picture of the way the stream flows feisty and chilly. Linger on your morning walks letting your steps be a prayer of oneness – choose to let go with nature.
When we stop to join “the letting go” of fall we find that the deepest parts of our souls are releasing pent-up stress too.
Your openhanded release is beautiful and it keeps in step with the season of harvest. The growth that has taken place is now showing fruit and to ready the ground again for further growth we must let go.
Attending to the moment and secondly, beholding it with expectation is key to adopting the third posture.
Posture #3 for Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary
Let’s work to posture our souls to be a collector of beauty which fosters a spirit of gratefulness. I have found that I remember less and less the simple, but beautiful moments that make up my life.
I collect beautiful moments and the tiniest gifts of beauty scattered throughout my day. Recording them gives me the ability to remember the significance of the gloriously mundane.
Sometimes I photograph the moments I am collecting, other times I paint with watercolors, and still other occasions I write them down.
Along with this discovery, comes new gratefulness for the light shining through windows mid-morning, the way the sun meets the horizon in the evening, and the way soft rain falls on leaves.
Although this collection is not always as tangible as the kids’ ever-growing rock collection it is soul-valuable. It causes my soul to remember its worth through the gifts I am given.
The attending and beholding of beauty in the mundane can become a part of your daily record but may at times be hard to practice.
I encourage you to not give up. However, the key to fully enjoying the big moments is to practice every day.
Begin a habit of focusing your eyes on the minute, small moments for their unique beauty, and then you are sure to not miss the big ones!
Posture #4 for Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary
Our fourth posture is ‘celebration’. Celebrating is one of my favorite things in life. I really enjoy bringing joy and beauty into the special markers of life.
If you gave me the opportunity to celebrate with you, you better believe it would include a beautiful table and good food. Through my love of celebrating I have learned simplicity is always best.
I haven’t always stayed true to this discovery but I am grateful for the opportunities I have to practice. Taking the time to celebrate throughout the day will lead our hearts to encounter the eternal in our midst.
It will leave us breathless at times with its transcendence. It will continue to guide our hearts toward gratefulness, and praise and will buoy us in the hard times with delight.
“But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy!”
We have great reason to celebrate and we know how to celebrate the big moments. But we overlook the frequent opportunity to celebrate the little things as a posture of praise.
The joy of the Lord gives us strength to find time to praise him through our celebration.
After all, He has taken great delight in us and has provided a way of salvation and eternal hope with Him.
Could we not allow the little moments of celebration to remind us that it is He who gives us all that we have and overall gives us Himself, what more reason do we need to celebrate!?
Posture #5 for Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary
Finally, we want to set our souls in a posture of delight. To delight means to take great pleasure in.
Do you remember the last time you took great pleasure in life? When life appears grand and large for others, we find ourselves longing for that same largeness.
So, we fix our eyes on others’ lives and miss the translucence of the divine in our midst.
The way life moves seamlessly from heavenly light to sunlight scattered on the floor riddled with toys. Could it be that we are called to live a diaphanous life?
A life that when attended to is charged with the glorious as it lights up the mundane with beauty. As you slow down and let go alongside the earth this fall may your daily routine moments become delightful to you.
A setting of the table in light of the sacred act of nourishing a belly and a soul simultaneously.
A dish washed with the same hands that touch the squishy, heavenly cheek of a newborn.
A still soul as the awe of golden trees arrests our attention and a silent prayer escapes our hearts.
Falling leaves are reminders that we follow in step with our Savior who laid himself down to death so that we might live.
Grace is that ethereal and extremely delicate gauze that stands between heaven and earth. We long for the glorious because it was meant to be ours.
Don’t settle for the lie that attaining and hustling will lead you there. Instead, attend to the moment, behold and be present, collect and celebrate, and delight over your life.
You will find that your heart stills with the truth that He delights over you. You are delightful and lead a delightful life: dishes, toys, and crying babies included.
How have you found the extraordinary in the ordinary? Would love to hear from you in the comments!
Author
Daisy Dornen
Daisy is a writer and a bellwether table-gatherer who loves fresh-cut flowers and reading. Connect with her at www.Daisyfdronen.com or on IG @daisyfd
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Reading Daisy Dornen’s “Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary” has been a truly enlightening experience for me. Her words serve as a gentle, yet impactful reminder of the beauty that lies in everyday moments. The way she intertwines spiritual insights with practical approaches to mindfulness resonates deeply with me. I particularly admire how she uses nature and the changing seasons as metaphors for embracing life’s simple pleasures. Daisy’s ability to articulate the importance of slowing down and appreciating the little things in life is both inspiring and comforting. Her message has encouraged me to look at my daily routines with fresh eyes, finding joy and beauty in places I might have previously overlooked. Thank you, Daisy, for this beautiful and thought-provoking piece. It’s a reminder I will carry with me, helping me to stay grounded and appreciative of the present moment. Blessings, Paul.