Slowing Down

"Earth's crammed with heaven,

And every common bush afire with God:

But only he who sees, takes off his shoes;

The rest sit around it, and pluck blackberries."

- Elizabeth Barrett Browning

A friend of mine got me this great book for my birthday called Not So Fast - Slow-Down Solutions for Frenzied Families by Ann Kroeker. I have only read the first chapter but already know this is something my soul needed to hear. I often feel like I am juggling way to many balls and am unable to keep all of them going up in the air at the same time. We seem to go from one pressing thing to the next with very little time for stopping and enjoying the moment. This is not what I want our family life to be like.

There is a great article about how a world famous violinist, dressed in ordinary clothes, played for people hurrying through the metro in DC. During the 43 minutes that he played, 1,097 people went by, and only 7 stopped to listen!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html

I want to be one of the seven that stop and listen - Lord may I stop and look for You and wait for You and listen for You and ENJOY all the beautiful gifts that you have given me.

(This photo is taken by Lizzy - our budding photographer - I could use a few lessons from her about stopping and noticing beauty)