Come; Sit a Spell

I often walk at our local audubon center and throughout the miles of trails they have different benches or swings like the one shown above. I love the reminders to stop and soak in the beauty. It is a visual reminder in this hurry-up and get it done world to slow down and relax.

For those of you who read my blog regularly you know this isn't always my state of being. I'm usually cramming a lot into each day and while that is the way I'm wired, I do know that it's important to just slow down and relax from time to time. 

I took a picture of the frost the other morning and then later that day found this quote. I thought it was a good reminder about the need to slow down.

Philip Harnden, in A Gardener’s Guide to Frost ~

"In the end, this may be the most important thing about frost: Frost slows us down. In spring, it tempers our eagerness. In fall, it brings closure and rest. In our gotta-go world–where every nanosecond seems to count–slowness can be a great gift. "

Slowing down helps me see things from a different perspective or see things I may have otherwise missed. It helps me to take time to think something through rather than make gut-reaction decisions.

I think that's one of the reasons I actually love cooking, baking and sewing. It forces me to slow down and be patient. You can't rush the process, and when I do try and hurry it up, that is when I make mistakes and the outcome is a flop.

I bought a half a bushel of apples this week to make apple butter and sauce. As I stood in the kitchen peeling some of them yesterday, I started to feel impatient. I had things to do and taking time to peel apples felt like an interruption. But as I continued to do the task, I could feel myself slowing down and relaxing. It gave me time to just stand in one spot and focus on the task at hand and slowed me down.

I also believe that when I intentionally set aside time each morning and spend it in God's word and prayer that it has the same effect. It creates a peaceful and good rhythm to my day. When you have a lot to do, taking time to sit and pray and read may feel counterintuitive and yet, it's actually the thing that will set the tone for your day. It gives you the strength to face whatever comes your way.

It's as if the Lord is saying, "Come; sit a spell." When we enter His presence He gives us an inner peace and calm that is needed to face the chaos in this world.