Most of the really important moments in our lives happen by “accident”.

A few years ago we were driving when the sky suddenly darkened and the air began to vibrate. We pulled over, stepped out of the car, and looked up at thousands upon thousands of geese in V’s, honking as they headed south. We watched, in silence, in awe of nature. I’ll never forget it.

I still remember, too, the last time one of my children fell asleep in my arms, or when, as toddlers, they hugged me and said, “I’m so glad you’re my mommy.” I also recall the first conversation I ever had with Rebecca. Only four months of age, she was lying on a playmat, peering at me intensely and cooing. I would reply, pause, and then she would begin again, kicking her little legs as she “talked”. She kept up her end for quite some time. She told me she loved me, and I reciprocated.

I even fell in love by accident. Keith was my best friend for a year first, and one day, as we were walking, I realized we were more than that. This was the man that God had chosen for me. But our relationship started apparently by accident.

We don’t tend to like accidents. We like planning, vocations, callings, mission statements, and schedules. We like to know what God is going to do, and when, so we can be sure to pack for it. But what if many of the wonderful blessings that God wants to give us in our lives aren’t things that we can easily schedule? What if the beauty of life really is in the apparently random moments that we share?

As Christians, we know that nothing is truly random. Yet that doesn’t mean that God expects us to rigidly plan every moment, either. I think many of the wonderful things God gives us are only given when we have the time and attention to receive them. Just as Jesus took time just to talk to people, with no other agenda, so we need to make sure our lives are filled with downtime, too.

After all, I couldn’t have fallen in love with my husband if I hadn’t been spending hours and hours with him, just talking. I couldn’t have had that conversation with my baby daughter if I hadn’t been playing on the floor with her. And my daughter couldn’t have fallen asleep in my arms if we hadn’t spent time cuddling, for no reason. Accidents, in other words, take time. Lots and lots of it.

We may think quality time is better than quantity time, but that’s a crock. Let’s say that you decide that Tuesday afternoon you are going to dedicate to quality time with your children to connect with your monosyllabic-speaking teenager and your hyper 8-year-old. If those children, however, have not shared with you in a while, they may not want to open up right then. They need time to process things before they talk. They need to trust you, and that only happens when you spend time with no agenda in mind except being with them.

Jesus put people first, not things. His mission was not only in accomplishing His work on the cross; it was also in making all those around Him feel loved, comfortable, and cared about. And that meant putting more mundane concerns aside. It meant taking time to let those good accidents happen.

Most of our happy accidents occur because we adopt Jesus’ view on relationships. They happen because we stop spending so much time in front of the screen and start hanging out with those we love. They happen when we stop being so busy. They happen when we laugh together. So I want to leave room for accidents, because precious memories are priceless. That’s God’s kind of beauty, and it’s better than anything I could have ever planned.

Sheila blogs daily at To Love, Honor and Vacuum. And you won’t want to miss her podcasts! She homeschools her two daughters, writes, speaks, and knits. Preferably all at the same time.