Slowing Time Down

  How do you learn to slow time down? When you feel like life is flying past, how do you stop and count the ways God manifests His blessings? When you know time is limited, when moments go by so swiftly, how can you see the Grace in every one of them?

  Nick Magnotti had to figure this out. A couple of years ago, Nick was diagnosed with appendix cancer and given a terminal diagnosis. He was a young husband in his mid-twenties with much of his life still ahead of him. But now, time had become an issue. He had to learn how to accept the gift of time and make the most of it because he knew he wasn't going to be around forever to enjoy it. A man with a deep relationship with God, Nick and his wife welcomed a beautiful baby girl into their lives part-way into his long battle. Once he had embraced God's plan and the hard reality that his life might end soon, Nick determined to do all that he could to live fully, to make memories, to invest in the lives of other people and to see the Grace in each, precious second. Thanks to social media, Nick and his wife were able to share their journey with many people as Nick's life slowly ebbed away. Just a few months before his death in January of this year, Nick made this video for his daughter and posted it on YouTube:

  With a smile on his face and hope in his heart, Nick learned to embrace the pain that life had thrown in his path. While he walked through the uncertainty and the sadness of his situation, he exemplified the importance of slowing down time. 

  Life is too short to go rushing through, taking relationships for granted, and missing the hidden blessings that are all around us. Nick knew he didn't have forever - he had to make the most of how long he was given to live...and he did it to the fullest. This is what it means to be open to life: to laugh through the dark times, to accept each moment as a gift, to value those who have been placed in your life to make it richer, and to prize every second as, potentially, your last. 

  If it all ended tomorrow, could you say that you soaked up every bit of Grace from the days you were given? Could you say that you slowed down time and savored the life you were blessed to have? Perhaps how we answer this question determines how we'll begin our day in the morning - will we continue to rush on by, or will we thankfully live and savor the Grace-filled time that is ours to enjoy?