Have you paused recently to really take in the goodness that surrounds you? Maybe admiring your loved ones, nature, animals or good food? Life can sometimes feel like it’s a constant cycle of doing – working, cleaning, cooking, caring for others, shopping, etc. I’ve found it easy at times to be so focused on the next task that I miss the beauty in the moment. I feel like my life is constantly spent on a timer, working to keep all the plates spinning. There’s work, being a mom, a wife, a volunteer, keeping up with the home, various projects and more. There often doesn’t feel like there’s time to just slow down and stop doing – to just be. Time to rest, enjoy the moment and relax.
Last week was different though. I had a chance to slow down just a bit and notice some of what I’ve been missing. Let me explain how my perspective was shifted and renewed. Our church recently launched an awesome class called North Metro Church University. We’re learning about the big picture of Scripture to equip us to more faithfully follow Jesus and share what we believe with others. There was one Sunday class where we unpacked the book of Genesis chapter one. In doing so we learned about the Hebrew word for good (tov) that God uses to describe His work in creation. Throughout chapter one God uses the word good, emphasizing the word when he makes man, calling him very good. As we unpacked the ultimate goodness that God used in His creation there was a challenge for us to leave class and start noticing the good all around us.
The following days Olivia was home from school on fall break; hanging out and playing while I worked. She went with me on my morning walks that I normally take. In doing so, she slowed me down, but in a very good way. For me, when I normally walk, I’m in it to get it done. To exercise and get back home to start working. With Olivia though, she’s in it to enjoy, to discover, to have fun. She pauses to watch the baby birds in the tree. She admires the color of a plant growing in a neighbor’s yard. She stops to notice buds on flowers, laughing as she passes saying, “Bye ‘bud-dies’!” (Get it, they’re buds, so she called them buddies 😊) She listens to the birds as they sing a beautiful song. Each time, I pause and take a picture or a video to capture the moment. And I smile. God really did make our world beautiful. There is so much goodness that surrounds us every single day. Even in the midst of pain, there is goodness. Josh Baldwin’s song Evidence outlines this truth very well in his lyrics, “I see the evidence of Your goodness, all over my life”. God loves us, cares for us and sustains us with His goodness. We just have to slow down and take notice.
“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” Psalm 34:8
Comments