Take your time and smell a rose.

 Do you ever get so caught up in the stuff that you do every day that you often wonder where the day went? They say that the older you get, the faster time passes you by and I can tell you right now that this is very true.  I just came through a rather pressure-packed week with numerous reports due, board presentations, and then the pressure of getting my grants polished off for submission.  For me, this was time pressure, and trust me when I say that time pressure is closely related with the word stress. I challenge you all to think about this in the context of time and how some of us feel that time is passing by faster and faster with each passing day.  The more stressed we are, the less likely we are to be focused and present in the moment.  Most of us are just trying to get through the day as quickly as possible.  I know I am.  When we do that, we don’t have time to take in our surroundings and build detailed memories, and thus, our perception of time flies.

Please consider reading all of James chapter 1 as the verse I selected is from there and really should be taken into total context.  James 1 is really cool to read but in verse 17 it reads: Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  

God is the One from whom all our blessings come each and every single day, even during the days that seem to be challenging and thus fly by.  Does your life feel complicated? Mine does sometimes. If you feel great stress or even feel that things are spiraling out of control then I suggest you do what may seem impossible.  Take a moment and examine your life in detail, boil away all the stress and anxiety and get to the simplest form. Count your blessings, and enjoy the life God has given you.  Simple as that…..

If you slow down and take time to look, you will find beauty, value, and worth all around you.  Here is a little list of advice that has seemed to work for me in the past:   

Do a good job at whatever you do. 

This one is pretty hard to do but please, don’t try to be more or less than God’s design for you.  

Love your family with all you are not all that you can do for them.  

I need to be a better Dad and Husband and I find that slowing down and taking time usually helps that part out.  

Keep your eyes on Jesus. Remember, our time on Earth will end, and keeping our trust in Jesus will help us while we are still here. There is more to life than just our earthly existence. Think about eternity.

What life throws at us every day is what our days are about.  Don’t stop making plans and goals. Keep dreaming about what you could do or be as it is important to do so.  Dreaming is an important part of life and helps add some contrast to our future but while you are dreaming and planning, take the time and keep Jesus at the front of those thoughts.  Take the time to smell those roses. 

Take care, 

J