Today, a friend posted a photo she took of a line of wooden high back chairs that were rather rustic looking and all lined up on a porch. It was a photo about perspective. Doesn’t show the house, or where it is located or any real design aspect of the house. She asked her viewers to tell what they would see if they were sitting in one of those chairs. This was something of how I responded:
“If I were sitting there, I would see a vast farm country with mountains in the background, a stream flowing down around the back of the barn, red of course, to the left of me, I notice how beautiful the blue sky is today, and the dog and cat come sauntering up to me to take advantage of the morning sun. My morning mocha sits down on the porch boards, and I contemplate how I’m going to put a holder for my mocha on this chair arm. The slow-living of life feeds my heart and soul. I am thinking how grateful I am to be alive at this moment and how good God has been to me. I love this country living…”
You may be thinking, “I sure wish I had the TIME to sit and think about those things!” Well, you may have had to fall back in time, but we each still have the same amount of time we are given. It is in how we spend that time. Yes, I am retired and that makes a difference. However, I am also busy even though I’m retired. So I still have to schedule my time or I get can caught up in other things I enjoy and not make time for time with the Lord, or time needed with family. The other day, I just went out on the front porch and had my mocha where the sun was shining. It was so nice. I pulled weeds from my garden of succulent plants, and sat and enjoyed what I observed going on around me. I heard the train going through. I heard the deer and then saw the deer as its head poked out of the bushes and then ran away. I could hear the birds sing in the trees…yes it was only for maybe 15 minutes, but it WAS 15 minutes of wonderful. We all need it. We just don’t make the time for those little things to happen.
In all the chaos in the world and in our lives, it becomes a necessity to have this time.
- It is fuel for our souls.
- We can hear God speak.
- We can gain direction.
- We can off load our troubles; His shoulders are big.
- We will receive new perspective because we have taken care of the soul.
Chaos and busyness make us crazy. I learned that years ago and have encouraged others to slow down ever since. Take it from someone who has experienced both worlds. When I look back on it now, I would do so many things differently with my younger life. You know that song about “Dear Younger Me”? What would you tell yourself? If we are honest with ourselves, that won’t be so easy. Start with one step, or one area. I know I have told myself even now, that changes have to be made in me if I want God to change circumstances. I have a responsibility to examine myself and my part in the problem. So this speaks to me also. Social media may be one of those areas. Examining why I do what I do, it is of benefit, and does God want me to continue doing any of it? Hard stuff.
So take a few moments out on the porch tonight with your coffee or tea or whatever, and take a deep breath. Or build a fire and enjoy watching it together. Whatever it is, bring that feeling of contentment in to your heart to live with you. Imagine your chair and you are looking out, just like my friend asked, and what do you see? What is your tomorrow going to look like because you changed something in your today?
Walking the journey with you…
Journeys of My Heart 