Skip to main content

Don't Walk So Fast!

 This week, on my day off from work, the weather was picture perfect! Spring is in the air and as I did my errands, I made a stop at the Lowe's garden shop. They had beautiful flowers in abundance, so much time was spent soaking in all the beauty and deciding which ones were going home with me. 

While checking out at the cash register with my cart full of flower buddies, a lady came behind me looking for a shopping cart. There was not one close by, so she decided to follow me out to my car and take my cart. (sounds kinda creepy, but that is just how fellow gardeners roll)!  As I checked out and walked with her in the parking lot, my mind was on the next stop and getting home to spend time planting the flowers. After a short distance, she exclaimed "Boy, those short legs move really fast!". I naturally walk fast and with my mind racing ahead to the next thing on the agenda, I didn't pay attention to her trying to keep up. 

After her comment, I slowed down and tried to engage with her. She waited as I unloaded the cart and then took it back to the store to fill it with her garden buys. A quick lesson came to mind as I left. The current season of life I an in, is much slower than previous ones. There is no pressing place to be, no time limit, no reason to be in such a rush, other than the focus of self. 

Redeeming the time, is a phrase in the Bible to make the most of each moment. It takes an extra measure of diligence and attention when the focus in on my own agenda. For years, I've told myself to slow down, pay attention to what's going on around me and be alert for ways to brighten the day of others. 

Everyone around us has a need to be seen, noticed and valued. Opportunities are often missed when we are distracted. But, if we are alert, we can use our eyes, smiles and words to bring a blessing to others. It doesn't have to take much effort, but it does take a heart open to receiving and giving out God's love. 

I made it home that day, planted my flowers and enjoy sitting on the porch and enjoying their beauty. They are a true gift that will keep on giving. The same thing happens when we notice others and plant seeds of love and kindness in their lives, The beauty shines through and lightens hearts for days to come. 





Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Sometimes We Score, Sometimes We Block

Our family is in the midst of little league soccer season. My youngest son is playing and his enthusiasm is contagious. He is pretty good at the sport, but what makes it so great is that he loves it! He counts the days until the next game or practice. He loves his coach and teammates. He has moved up an age level this year and the players are working more like team, passing to each other and watching out for each other during play. During the last game, my son scored two goals, they were the only goals of the game. In today's game the team scored eight goals. My son came up afterwards to me and said, "I didn't score today, but I blocked". What a powerful truth those words can hold. In life, sometimes we score, sometimes we block. Sometimes we do great things, we excel, we achieve, we meet our goal - we score! There are also times we see the needs of others, sometimes they are sad or hurting, we block their hits. We look out for them so they can score. We...

Top 10 Workout DVDs

Prevention Magazine is a leader in health and fitness news and products. They recently came up with the top 10 list of workout DVDs. They have examined the many fitness DVDs out there and narrowed down a list of the best ones. There is a DVD for every fitness level. If you are looking to incorporate some exercise into your day in the convenience of your own home, take a look at this list. Here is an additional money saving tip:  If you see a DVD that you are interested in, check out Amazon or Ebay before ordering.  Many times they have pre-owned DVDs at a fraction of the cost of a new one.

WFW – Write It On My Heart

This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel       after that time, declares the Lord.    I will put My laws in their minds       and write them on their hearts.    I will be their God,       and they will be My people.  Hebrews 8:10 On a recent field trip to a museum featuring the days gone by, we sat in an old schoolroom as the teacher introduced us to the quill pen and bottle of ink.  She cautioned us to use extreme caution using the ink and told us that if it got on our skin or clothes, it would not come off. This reminded me of this beautiful promise from Hebrews.  God told His people he would put His law in their minds and write it on their hearts.  This is a covenant which cannot be broken.  He loves us and wants us to know Him through His Word.  As we read more and more of His Word, it becomes w...