Chronos & Kairos

Out Of a New Habit sent me a link to a specific blog post for a blog called Momastery.  You should read the whole post but here are my favorite paragraphs:

  There are two different types of time. Chronos time is what we live in. It’s regular time, it’s one minute at a time, it’s staring down the clock till bedtime time, it’s ten excruciating minutes in the Target line time, it’s four screaming minutes in time out time, it’s two hours till daddy gets home time. Chronos is the hard, slow passing time we parents often live in.
  Then there’s Kairos time. Kairos is God’s time. It’s time outside of time. It’s metaphysical time. Kairos is those magical moments in which time stands still. I have a few of those moments each day, and I cherish them.
  Like when I actually stop what I’m doing and really look at Tish. I notice how perfectly smooth and brownish her skin is. I notice the perfect curves of her teeny elf mouth and her asianish brown eyes, and I breathe in her soft Tishy smell. In these moments, I see that her mouth is moving but I can’t hear her because all I can think is – This is the first time I’ve really seen Tish all day, and my God – she is so beautiful. Kairos.
  Like when I’m stuck in chronos time in the grocery line and I’m haggard and annoyed and angry at the slow check-out clerk. And then I look at my cart and I’m transported out of chronos. And suddenly I notice the piles of healthy food I’ll feed my children to grow their bodies and minds and I remember that most of the world’s mamas would kill for this opportunity. This chance to stand in a grocery line with enough money to pay. And I just stare at my cart. At the abundance. The bounty. Thank you, God. Kairos.

This couldn't have come at a better time (and Out Of a New Habit knows this) because I've been struggling with a lot of personal and professional doubts and Little Man has been testing me every day with a new set of behaviors that we, as a family, are not very pleased to be on the receiving end of.  But, mostly, Out Of a New Habit knows how I need to be reminded that it's ok to be less than perfect and it's ok to doubt but that I need to trust in God's life plan for me and my family and need to be strong enough to live it.