I’ve noticed that when I take the time to breathe, to really see the beauty before me, the evidence of His existence is everywhere.

With more margin and less hurry (though friends, let’s not kid ourselves – there are still days), I’m finding that not only do I see the precious I have so often missed but I am also hearing the wisdom He has tried to  speak over deaf ears for so long.

There was simply too much noise on the inside.  And sometimes there still is too much noise on the inside but you know,  baby steps.

A friend of mine recently shared that he heard someone speak somewhere sometime to a group of believers about walking deeper with Jesus.

“How do we get closer to Jesus?” someone in the audience asked.

“There are two ways, ” the speaker answered. “The first is to eliminate hurry.”

“What’s the second?” the same participant asks.

“There isn’t a second,” the speaker replied.

Yes.  Eliminate hurry.  It’s that simple.

So I reflect on the hurry thing and realize that absolutely nothing good comes from hurry.

I snap at my children to hurry up.  I tell them that no, we cannot take ONE SINGLE SECOND MORE to look at that lady bug because we are LATE for school for the third time this week and don’t you know that being on time trumps the wonder of His creation always?

What am I teaching them about God’s creation when I blow it off because I don’t want the administration to think I am “that” mom who just doesn’t have it together?

But the reality is I am that mom and truthfully, I’m pretty certain they figured that out back in September.

We are late almost always.  It’s true that I have three people aged seven and under to get out the door by 7:30 each day before school but that doesn’t really matter at the end of the day.

We still hurry.  And I’m grumpy because of it.  And yes, it’s because I worry about what they will think.

So now that I’ve pulled out of everything and have no commitments anywhere outside of being a wife and a mom, I’m still late.

But I’m starting to see that if I just slow down a bit and pray for eyes to see the world the way He sees it,  a funny thing happens.

I actually DO start to see things the way He sees it.

And since we are likely going to be late anyway, the extra 30 seconds to look at the ladybug could be exactly what might plant a seed in the mind of one or all of my children about how intricately He creates every creature that exists.

More confirmation that He is real.

Suddenly, the tardies don’t seem so bothersome anymore.

Today is Monday so I reflect on gratitudes from the past week.  Thank you, Jesus, for:

711.  Meeting fun new friends who follow you

712.  A hot morning picking strawberries where kids complained but memories were made

713.  Friends over to play and giggles from little girls

714.  Roasting marshmallows over a new fire pit and gray ashes that cover the three year old’s white fluffiness because he’s learning how to hold the stick

715.  “She turned into a yogurt, mama!” the same little boy says while watching Shrek. (She actually turned into an ogre.)

716.  A family garden actually planted by, gasp, the family and a budding (no pun intended – sort of) interest in where our food comes from

717.  A husband who busted a hump around this place this weekend because “Acts of Service” is his love language

718.  Ghost stories around the campfire complete with scarily realistic (realistic?) Big Foot yelps.

719.  Bickering siblings who break now and then to give kisses and high fives

720.  Seven people who have joined “Team Snapp” this upcoming week and next as JJ and I prepare to go on our honeymoon.  Yes.  Our honeymoon.  And yes, we’ve been married for almost eight years.

This week, may you seek margin.  May you slow down.  Breathe.  Just stop.  May you eliminate hurry.

And then you will hear.

Have I ever mentioned that I once said I would never allow my children to wear clothing with licensed characters?

  Joining with Ann today…