The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise,
as some understand slowness.
He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish,
but everyone to come to repentance.
1 Peter 3:9
A blue sky embraced me as I strolled from the cafe to my car. With one hand on my door handle and the other poised to answer my incoming call, I pulled the phone to my ear to the words, "You're right, Dear, I have cancer."
His recovery slowed him down. That first Sunday back at church I dropped him at the front door, checked our little ones into the nursery, used the restroom and still made it to our seats before he did. It took him almost 30 minutes to walk a few hundred yards.
His new, slower pace changed his perspective. He saw people he never noticed before.
The elderly woman struggling through the paces of her day.
The homeless man praying for generosity and the strength to navigate another hopeless day.
The wheel-chair bound youth staring into a future a few feet short of the one he'd imagined.
Sometimes when I'm running I have to slow down too. A slower pace is necessary to cover the distance. When I decelerate I see things I wouldn't otherwise notice.
The man whose need for achievement shouts at his son to keep the lawn perfect.
My anorexic neighbor who walks with her companion self-loathing for hours every day.
The elderly woman who watches life pass but doesn't participate.
I have to slow down to see the hurting - to connect at their pace. I have to slow down to connect my heart to God's so I can see the people for whom He patiently waits.
Is life flying by you today? Whom might you notice if you just throttled back a bit?
What a great principle to meditate on. Today's world just doesn't lend itself to a slow pace. We must be intentional. Thanks for the reminder!
ReplyDeleteI want to slow down with Him and find His rhythm for my life.
DeleteWow! I needed that reminder. Life often goes way too fast.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't it? Love it when we can simply enjoy being in His presence and with the ones we love.
DeleteWhere I live, a slow pace means you will just get trampled on. But bad knees have slowed me down quite a bit, and yes, I have noticed things I didn't really 'see' in my younger days. xo
ReplyDeleteSo thankful! :)
DeleteI'm still on hyperspeed all.of.the.time, but I have noticed my perspective is far different now than it was in my youth (and I reach out to those who are slower a lot more than I ever did, figuratively and literally).
ReplyDeleteYour post is great. I'm glad you're speaking engagements are so full! That's good news, yes?
I hope your husband is fully recovered now. I am guessing with a scare like that all of you are appreciating everything more including each other.
Yes, Rosey, I am thrilled God is continually giving me more opportunities to speak. I love to communicate about God's goodness whether it's spoken or written.
DeleteYes we definitely appreciate each other more. It's amazing how life-altering something like that can be.
I have recently been reflecting on time and quickly it flies by. Children are such a good reminder for this! Fall is also a time where I think I am reminded to slow down a bit . . . maybe it's the knowing that the holidays are just around the corner! So happy to hear your husband is healing. Take care xo
ReplyDeleteFall is my favorite season! I so enjoy the cooler temperatures, moments to sip cocoa or coffee and the snuggly feeling of sweaters and scarves!
DeleteYes, when we slow down, we see things we don't normally see when we're in a rush. We realize the simple things we should be thankful for. These put us back on track.
ReplyDeleteLove this, Pepper!
DeleteI so agree with Christine above! One need only look at their children and see how ridiculously fast they seem to grow up to realize we need to slow down and savor every moment. Great post.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, I am so thankful for my four little sweeties who help me slow down and appreciate the little things in my life.
DeleteI know one of the reasons the Lord put my body in a wheelchair was so I would slow down. My life before the wheelchair was in hyper drive from sun up to sun down. Once I was in the wheelchair I had a handy lap that my kids could curl up in and get hugs and a story anytime of the day. The Lord knew what I needed and what my children needed. HE is so good!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your wonderful and inspiring posts...HUGS!
What a precious place for your kids to be. I know they are so loved there!
DeleteIt's funny how your words spoke to my heart today. They reminded me why Mark and I chose to move out of Southern CA. For so long, we had talked about how we felt like we were living the rat race. Not enjoying life or our family. Living for worldly things instead of with a spiritual eternal perspective. We were constantly on the go. Then, BAM, in the blink of an eye a gift from God...yet our human eyes and hearts viewed it as "our world falling apart." So the opportunity was there for us to choose something different than what we had been living. A slower pace. Family. Community. Our move to this small town was the best thing for our family, because it forced us to slow down. BUT with that said, it's a daily struggle for me to set a slower pace...as though that fast paced life is almost ingrained within me. Only whispers from the Spirit (and your great words here) help me remember to slow down and breathe. :)
ReplyDeleteWe too have recently moved to a much smaller city and love the slower pace here but at times my impatience gets the best of me. We're all a work in progress!
DeleteI'm glad your husband is recovering too:) I have trouble slowing myself down. I need to get better at this!
ReplyDeleteCheering for you!
Delete"Throttle back" is a perfect phrase. It's wonderful how you found the blessing and meaning in your husband's recovery. Sometimes it takes these huge signs in our lives to be able to see what truly matters.
ReplyDeleteI thank God for Scott's health crisis because it taught each of us so much about priorities and intentionality.
DeleteGorgeous...I've so enjoyed taking a few minutes to catch up with you here sister! Blessings from Maine Shannon, Amy ;)
ReplyDeleteDid you come home refreshed? :)
DeleteI have recently moved from the city to a small town and I am loving the slowness here.
ReplyDeleteI bet. Even though we live in a city of a million - it's a very slow pace here in Memphis and we love the lack of traffic and the kindness of the people. :)
DeleteShannon, it's so important to be reminded to slow down! I generally have one speed during the day, "high." However, I truly want to take time to be there for others who need me. Thanks for making me think about this today!
ReplyDeleteLisa, so thankful for your visit. Glad you slowed down long enough to stop by!
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