The Beautiful Life

Thinking more about slowing down…

We’ve been thinking a lot lately about slowing down. Even though our kids aren’t involved in a lot of activities, it seems like every day, especially our weekends, are hectic and busy, without really being productive…or happy. We’re always in a hurry to get from one thing to the next. And they are good things. But I’m learning that just because something is good, doesn’t mean it is what is best for us at this moment in time. A minute ago, I was a young new mom to a beautiful little girl. And now somehow she’s almost seven. Thirty seconds ago, I had three children three and under. Now they are all walking, talking, reading… And in all of our busyness, I’m missing these precious few moments to nurture and encourage, to hug and to love, before they grow up and fly away. (Although my daughter swears she will live right next door. I’d like to think it’s because she loves us, but I think she is realizing the need for a convenient babysitter.)

So after getting side-tracked for awhile, we are getting back to our roots–what do we want to make of this gift of life we’ve been given? It seems too precious to waste our days bouncing from one thing to the next, with no time to breathe, let alone remember Who gives us our very breath. There is too little time on this earth to spend it on things that we aren’t passionate about. So we are praying and planning and waiting to see where God leads us. We may end up on a farm in the country, tilling up our own plot of land. I sure hope so. But we may be called to be right where we are, learning to find rest and fulfillment in Him in the city. Wherever we go, whatever we do, I know this one thing. That I don’t want to waste my life on anything but Him, and I can’t do that when I’m in a hurry.

Related: I’ve really been inspired by this post on homesteading. It was one of those “that’s it!” moments for us.

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