Slow Down to See the Beauty

Do you ever let the cares of life crowd in on you and affect your attitude? So often we have beautiful things in our lives that we don’t see because we are focused on other things. We get caught in a rut and want to change yet we keep going down the wrong path of life. I guess its like when you get caught up in a poor eating habit. You get so sick of the junk food but keep eating it. Or when you form a habit that you hate but keep doing it. You want to cry out, “Help, let me off this Merry-Go-Round”!

You want to get on with your life and live with purpose, vitality, joy and hope. You want to live everyday focusing on the beauty in your life but you are caught in a rut. I was feeling a little burnt out and felt the demands of life crowding in on me. I knew it was affecting my attitude. I hated my poor attitude yet couldn’t seem to break the routine.

The Lord heard my cry for help and slowed me down. I found myself flat on my back recuperating after a fall. Fortunately the injuries were minimal but the time I was in bed I had a chance to rest, renew and refocus. By the way, I don’t recommend waiting for the Lord to get your attention this way.

I remembered what my sweet mother has always told me, “ You can’t control anyone but yourself.” As I slowed down, rested, and reflected on these words and my life I knew the strongholds were breaking.

As a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, my life’s desire is to bring a message of hope and encouragement to others and the guilt of my poor attitude had engulfed me. With renewed desire to live for Christ, I felt the chains that were holding me break.

I realized that part of my depression was the grief of missing our daughter.  We had poured so much into the life of our only child Christina and now she was all grown up living in Germany with her husband and baby son, She had always made us laugh with her quick wit and we missed her so much.

John and I planned a vacation to visit our children in Germany. Our hearts ached be with them. We were like two little children on Christmas morning filled the anticipation of seeing our children again. We had had the privilege of seeing the world though a little girl’s eyes. Now we had a little grandson and we blessed to be to see the world through a little boy’s eyes. We were also excited to see the Alps and John really wanted it to snow.

It was a pleasant change of scenery going to the winter wonderland of snow in the deep of winter and leaving our sunny home in Florida. As we spent time in the Alps I was so touched by the Lord’s beautiful creation.

As I watched my husband’s joy of spending time with our little grandson, it was more moving than any romance novel or movie I have ever experienced. As we observed the unconditional love that our daughter and son-in-law have for their little boy, it brought such joy to our hearts.

After returning home, refreshed, renewed and with lots of hugs and kisses from our children, I have realized that the Lord displays his beauty all around us. Sometimes we see His beauty in the majesty of a mountain top experience, the beauty of the sunset on the Gulf Coast of Florida, or in the smile of a child. Psalm 91:1 says, “The heavens declare the Glory of the Lord”

Ginger