Slow down to listen.
Do you hear each little raindrop falling on the windowsill?
Slow down to feel.
Feel the summer warmth wrap itself around your bare shoulders.
Slow down to look.
Look deep into the eyes of the child telling you his forever dream.
Slow down to enjoy.
Enjoy the effect if the wind swaying the little tree in the backyard.
Slow down to taste.
Taste the deliciousness of the pumpkin cheesecake in your mouth.
Slow down to drink.
Drink in the soulful music in the air.
Slow down to breathe.
Breathe in the fresh baked bread and the fragrance of the Lillies-of-the-Valleys in your backyard.
Slow down.
Listen to the chatter of a baby, 
and take the time to fold the sheets nice and crisp, and wipe the tears with kindness and care, because
Life is not an emergency.
It is here and now. It isn’t what you have to do to get to the place where you can just chill on your own. It is what you are all about. It is who you are and what you do and it is right here. Right now.
Cultivating Thankfulness with Ann Voskamp
#141 the internet
#140 words in my heart and at my fingertips
#139 My daisies in full bloom
Linking up with Jumping Tandem, Hear it, a Mama’s Story, Finding Beauty, the Better Mom, EOA, Tell me a Story and In and Around Mondays
I had a rare, slow week last week. It was amazing. Thanks for this, and for linking up to The Sunday Community!
To go slow is to learn the lessons of quiet. such peace it gives.
Amen, Barbara! When we zoom thru life, we can miss so much. Here’s to slowing down, not only to stop and smell the roses– but to compliment our neighbor on the beauty of the flowers too!
oh I love the part about complimenting our neighbors; am going to do that today! Thanks, Sharita.
I love how you convey a message in such simple terms. I just wrote a post with a similar idea, but it took me about 600 words.
“Life is not an emergency”. Love that! We spend a lot of our time acting like it is don’t we!
Mary Beth
newlifesteward.com
Let’s slow down together today, MaryBeth!
Yes, slow down is something I try to be very intentional about. Thanks for the beautiful reminder!
Love your line: life is not an emergency. how freeing is that!
I just returned from a two week retreat where I heard slow down quite a bit. Now to continue to practice it at home. Good post. coming over from Michelles link up
Love your reminder to slow down. I’m learning (slowly) to savor and not speed. With five kids all under our roof it can be a true act of worship to take life slowly- and a sheer gift to truly be present in the now. Stopping by from Seedlings in the Stone
I just returned from mission work in Kenya and I have to say the “business” of home hits hard after getting used to a slower pace. Thanks for the great reminders!
I feel like I have to schedule time to slow down. Sheesh!
Great post.
Sue
Your sunflower picture caught my eye…If you see my place you will know why:) this is so beautiful…just makes me take a deep breath and I am learning that life is not an emergency…so very thankful….blessings to you as we breath deep all His love around us~
Oh this so reminds me of this:http://mylifeasanadventure.com/2008/10/21/dales-sunflowers/
Today’s a slow down… until 5:00 and then until about 8 we’ll be having a First Responder meeting at murder sites. So, part of the day is always [ALMOST always] a slow-ish time, focusing on the Lord, putzing in the house and yard, and not feeling pressure. THEN there’s nearly always a call to help the Bhutanese refugees or a serious situation [such as the murder sites]. It’s a back-and-forth type of life. I definitely need to concentrate on the “slow down” so I can survive the “going fast”.
Thanks for your lovely sharing… as usual.
A lovely post. And a great reminder to enjoy the small things in life. X
Popping over from Finding Beauty In The Ordinary.
A beautiful post. I constantly have to remind myself to slow down and enjoy the moment.
Today a friend and I went to a lavender fest…beautiful slow walking from booth to booth, admiring the gift crafts by talented hands…the smell of good food, all spices of life everywhere…I so needed to day to just regroup my thoughts…your post expressed my hearts cry…Blessings
Oh, the joy of living in the moment!
Barbara…what a precious reminder. Often we don’t take time to take in life in the moment. Thank you for linking up at What Joy Is Mine this week.
Barbara, I am featuring you over at What Joy Is Mine this week starting tomorrow.
)
so unexpected, how cool! Thanks!
Thanks again for sharing your beautiful posts! I love the simplicity and depth of your blog.
“Life is not an emergency” Yes! We sure live like it is sometimes, don’t we? Thank you for this reminder…