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Stop and Smell the Roses

March 8, 2012 / 1 Comment

Spring has sprung here in Texas; trees are budding and bulbs are blooming. It’s the perfect weather to get outdoors and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation. I would love to walk through a park smelling the roses, listening to the birds, and sensing God’s presence. How renewing that would be! But I am bound to my busyness, my tasks, and my responsibilities. I have a big list of what must be done today, and it includes only the things that God has given me to do involving ministry, family, and home. Sound familiar?

How do we stop and smell the roses when our schedules and responsibilities force us to move at light speed? What "roses" are right in front of us waiting to be smelled, ready to renew our souls?

Instead of anticipating a busy day, expecting to be rushed and wearied, I am working on slowing down just enough to spot the small blessings of life. Why don’t you join me by taking a moment to look up from your tasks and notice something that brings you joy and express thanks? Rather than overlook the little gifts from God, let’s be intentional about regularly looking for them.
 
Earlier this morning, I laughed aloud and thanked God for my quirky dog who wants to get up where she can’t jump but won’t let me pick her up without a struggle.  When we live in the present, we are aware of the little blessings given every day. Isn't that true worship?
 
Why don’t you stop right now for just a minute? What is right in front of you that you love, that brings you joy, that is God’s good gift to you? Drink in the moment. Thank God for the time and the gift as an act of worship. Set the alarm on your phone to go off in an hour or two and do it again and again. Let God restore your joy and your soul as you stop and smell the roses.

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Kay is a life-long Texan whose favorites are Tex-Mex, books that feed her soul or make her think, good movies and travel to new places. Her great joy is to serve God by teaching the Bible and developing women as servant-leaders. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Beyond Ordinary Women Ministries, which provides free videos, podcasts and articles as well as low-cost Bible studies to prepare Christian women for leadership. (beyondordinarywomen.org) Kay spent ten years leading women’s ministries on church staffs, most recently at Northwest Bible Church in Dallas. Kay is the author of From Ordinary Woman to Spiritual Leader: Grow your Influence, a practical guide to help Christian women influence others by applying foundational leadership skills to their lives and ministries, and a number of Bible studies for women, some are available at bible.org and the newer ones are found at beyondordinarywomen.org. Kay earned an M.A.C.E. from Dallas Theological Seminary and a D.Min. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Effective Ministries to Women. Kay’s family includes a husband, two grown children, one son-in-law, two hysterical granddaughters and a Goldendoodle.

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