Embracing My “Wow!”

I am sitting in the airport after having spent a most fabulous weekend in Denver. The fun kicked off with my Thursday night presentation at Legatus Denver and continued through the weekend with family time.

I’m the oldest of five in a pretty tight knit clan. My youngest brother, sister in law and precious niece call Denver “home”. So a visit here means extra time with the world’s cutest “almost two year old”, my niece Elsa. I was here last summer and it’s amazing to see how much she has grown and developed since my last excursion. Elsa is no longer a baby, but rather a little girl with a mind and a will all her own.

Much of the challenging phase of parenting a toddler is lost in a hazy blur in my memory, but I can look at my brother and his wife and see immediately how much their parenting has helped develop little Elsa into the amazing child she is.

Time with Elsa reminds me of lots of important values in life — the gift of family, the challenge all of us have sometimes in communicating our needs, and the pure joy of a good book.

But what really stuck me this past weekend was Elsa’s “Wow!” factor. She’s quickly learning her words and using them in new and dynamic ways. One of her current favorites is, “Wow!”

I had lots of “Wow!” moments with Elsa over the past few days…

… a small yellow dandelion growing between the sidewalk cracks along our walk on her street: “Wow!”

… a pumpkin, bigger around that her little body and just right for rolling through the straw of the pumpkin patch on a sunlit day: “Wow!”

… a chicken coop, filled with a rooster and his hens: “Wow!”

Elsa’s “Wow!” moments are accompanied by prolonged attention to whatever has caught her fancy. Perhaps since I parented two boys, this child’s ability to stand and look at something for more than sixty seconds fascinates me. When she sees something that elicits a “Wow!”, she usually wants to linger and enjoy the scenery.

So this weekend was an excellent reminder to me to pause and ponder my own “Wow!” moments. In the weeks ahead, I’ll have quite a few. But honestly, isn’t every day filled with small “Wow!” opportunities?

… a remarkable sunrise

… a perfectly brewed cup of coffee

… a hug from the one you love…

If it’s been a while since your last “Wow!” moment, I advise you to take a bit of Elsa’s advice: stop, notice, and utter a “Wow!” of your own.

See the world around you through the eyes of toddler, in love with the process of discovery and ready to give God the glory for each tiny little matter of his amazing creation. Then linger a bit and take it all in. We’re in such a rush these days that too many of us skip those little “Wow!” celebrations altogether. When you look with an open heart, you’ll find “Wow!” moments sprinkled liberally around your daily path. Take time to embrace your “Wow!”

The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament proclaims the works of his hands. Psalm 19:2

A question for you: When was your last real “Wow!” moment?