For those of you who know me well, I am usually on overdrive - task oriented, quick paced, moving quickly from one activity to the next, allowing my OCD, Type A personality to rule the roost. Scott, my husband, will tell you that once I start something, it is almost impossible for me to stop. Sometimes it is a gift, but it can also be a curse.
As I drove to Clinton this morning, I knew that pulling the weeds from the rose beds was my top priority. I also knew I would have to beat the rain in order to successfully complete this task. While fervently pulling crazy high weeds at an all time quick pace, I noticed 3 ducks watching my every move. A group of ducks have taken residence between Mom and Dad's house and our neighbors. They are fed well to say the least. You could tell they were desperately wanting to take the journey to the house to enjoy some scrumptious food; however, they were skeptical of me.
I love the ducks. But at that very moment, I really wanted to continue my journey on completing all rose beds before Hurricane Florence made its way to us. Something overcame me in which I can't really describe. A yearning to just sit in the grass, enjoy the wind, and sit in stillness to assure the ducks that they were safe. Reluctantly, they found a path in which they were comfortable to reach the food. Before long, the 3 ducks were accompanied by 11 more! A group of 14 ducks had pushed through their insecurities and passed me because I had chosen to slam on my brakes.
What happened in the end? I fed them an abundance of food, which resulted in a good 10-15 minutes of pure pleasure for Mom, Dad, and myself. The rain came. The worked stopped. I wasn't able to accomplish my ultimate goal of cleaning out all the beds in the back. Several beds remain with high, uncontrollable weeds growing around the roses. However, by me making the decision to slow down, push my goals aside, and soak in what God had to offer blessed me more abundantly than completing my personal goal.
You want to know the really cool thing? The roses still bloom. As I was watching the ducks enjoy their feast, I looked out to one of the flower beds and saw this.
My slamming on the brakes didn't have as much effect on the flowers as I originally thought. It was almost as if this particular bloom was telling me, "Slow down and enjoy the simple pleasures. That is where the greatest joy is found."
Life is crazy. We quickly move from one activity to another, trying to accomplish goals that we think will enhance our lives and the lives of others. In reality, if we would periodically slam on the brakes and take time to enjoy relationships, enjoy the simple things in life, enjoy what nature has to offer...enjoy "watching the ducks," we would all be better off. Today made me wonder what all I have missed being so narrowly focused on checking off what I deemed to be important each day, keeping my actions on "full speed ahead," refusing to slow down and sit silent.
God speaks to us in these moments when we choose to sit still and breathe. When we can slow down and allow Him to step in for a brief moment, we will be blessed. As we enter this week, may we all find time to slam on our personal brakes to enjoy all the beauty that life has to offer.
**As I write this blog, may our prayers go out to our family in Lumberton, NC and surrounding cities. They have witnessed a much different Hurricane Florence than us in TN. My cousin's house off I95 has been flooded for the 2nd time in 5 years. Downtown Lumberton is currently under water and most of our extended family is without power.
