Slow down

How often do I miss what’s right in front of me?  Too often, I imagine.  
​I grip my hand to the plow daily and love what I do and the people who motivate me to keep doing it.  But I miss things, I miss important things.  There’s an ever present pressing to keep going, keep sowing, keep tending, keep rocking and singing and humming and loving.  So I do; I cradle and hum, stir and read, caress and sooth, sweep and wipe.

But I sometimes miss what’s happening in all this.  I forget the big picture, the wide angle view I've tucked deep within and find myself tilling the ground up rough and fast, eager for harvest, forgetful of tender shoots longing for the sun.  Sometimes when I can’t see the end result, I forget there is one.  Ohhh, I’m preaching to myself here, I certainly am.

Slow down girl, Don’t skip over the blossoms visible and fragile being tossed by the breeze, slow down. 

Slow down girl, don’t be discouraged when you can’t see finished fruit, the harvest isn’t ready, the fruit isn’t ripe, slow down.

Slow down girl, and remember tea time is like balm to the broken hearted and shortbread cookies, her companion, slow down. 

Slow down girl, quiet your mind in the midst of the commotion and seek the Kingdom, don’t let your eyes dart from here to there, slow down.

Slow down girl, laugh long and sink heavily into that chair, there’s nowhere else you need to be, slow down.

Slow down girl, and remember how you’ll never forget the way fresh sheets smelled when your own Mama washed and tucked your bed in tight.  Pillows fluffed and all.  Slow down. 

​There’s things to be accomplished, for sure.  And I think every mom out there can say they’ll never get it all done.  So just slow yourself right down and live in this moment, participate in this moment.  Even if your moment is hard and messy, loud or maybe too quiet, frustrating or straight up rug pulled out beneath you; whatever moment you’re in, slow it and let it steep because the God who created you and your children is alive in your moments too.  He’s destined to never fail and plans good for your future, so rest your rushing thoughts onto His broken for YOU shoulders, and slow it all down.