Taking Time to Smell the Roses...

I don't know about you, but I'm a "doer". My mind is constantly thinking about all the things on my "list" - my mental list - that need to be done. The floor needs to be swept, the dishes need to be put away, a note needs to be written, I need to finish reading that borrowed book, the cat needs a bath, the groceries needs to be purchased, a phone call needs to be made...and on and on the list goes. It never ends.

Consequently, I'm not one to just sit down, listen to the wind, and "smell the roses". I thrive on busyness and feel so accomplished when I can get things checked off my list. Those moments of quietness that I do experience (whether it's lying in bed before I fall asleep or spending time with someone) are rarely ever real moments of quietness. I simply can't enjoy "being still" because I'm thinking about all the one hundred and one things I should be doing.

Two weeks ago, my husband and I went on a 2-1/2 day camp-out with his family. It was my first time to be on a real camp-out. When we arrived, it started raining. It rained the entire time. For 2-1/2 days straight. Previous to the camp-out, we had made big plans of hiking, climbing rocks, spending time with everyone around the campfire late at night, taking lots of pictures, etc. But instead, we spent our time trying to stay warm by huddling under a canopy during the day and burying ourselves inside our sleeping bags at night. Everything was cold, wet and muddy.Near the end of the trip, I was feeling like the entire weekend had been a waste of time. We hadn't even gotten to spend much time with Joe's family as the rain never stopped. But as we headed for home, watching the cloud-covered mountains fade in the distance, my brother-in-law (who was riding with us) said something that really challenged me.

"When we hiked to the top of the mountain (in the rain) yesterday, I could have stood at the top and stared at the beauty around me for hours. I just like to soak it all in and meditate on God's creation."

I had been a part of that hike too. And yet the entire time I had only thought about how cold I was, how my cell phone didn't work, and how I just wanted to go home so I could take a warm shower and get the mud off of me.

My brother-in-law went on to say that he thought those people who can't stop and take time to really enjoy and soak in God's beautiful creation miss out on so much in life. Needless to say, that hit home for me.

Ever since then, I've been mulling over his comments. While I might think the mountains are pretty, or the flower in my garden is lovely, how often do I really stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God. (Job 37:14) Am I so busy (and enjoying the busyness) that I don't ever take time to soak up the works of my awesome God?In Psalm 46, God Himself commands His children to "Be still, and know that I am God." (vs 10) If I never take time to know God by experiencing and learning about His creation, I won't ever really know Him. There is so much we can learn from God when we study and enjoy the things He made. Listening to the trees rustle in the wind, hearing the birds sweetly sing, watching the brightly colored flowers grow in your garden, looking in awe at the majestic mountains, and enjoying the presence of your children/spouse.

So my challenge to you today...take time to smell the roses! Every single day.