Slow Down

Yesterday I took a tumble, a spill down the couple of stairs into my garage. I lay sprawled on the floor, wondering what and how it happened. I picked myself up and went about what I was doing. Luckily I wasn't hurt - a few aches here and there but not much else.

Later, thinking about it, I realized I was rushing around to get things ready for my afternoon class. This was at about 8:00 am. There was no need to rush. I was hurrying for the sake of...saving time later I guess. I'm not sure why I felt such a need to hurry. But that's when I usually make the biggest mistakes. When I rush, my brain is thinking beyond what I am doing. Instead of things about going down the stairs or even collecting what I needed, I was busily preoccupied by things several steps down the road. So I stumbled and tumbled and crashed.

I find myself doing this in lots of different areas of life. I'm rushing mentally and make mistakes in my work...mistakes that slow me down rather than let me get ahead. I rush through reading my Bible so I can check it off my to-do list - and miss the message that God has for me that day. I push kids to finish an activity and miss out on the conversation and insight I would have received - and maybe some great teachable moments that I could have shared.

Too much of my life is in a hurry. I need to slow down and really experience what's happening. Enjoy the moment I'm in. See the joy and beauty in whatever is happening right then. Learn the lessons that are being presented if I'll just take a breath and see them.

I have lots to do but I don't want to look back on a day...or a week...or a life and wonder what I missed because I was in too big of a hurry to get to the next thing.

This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice, savor, enjoy it.