Henry David Thoreau said, “An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.” I was greeted by a glorious morning as I took Penelope on her first walk of the day and have been blessed with a beautiful Sunday. Mother Nature is blowing the bamboo around this morning, rustling their slender branches, fanning their leaves in the breeze, knocking their trunks together. The sky is dark blue, cloudless and clear, the sun warmly kissing the earth with her yellow rays, filtering down prettily through the bamboo forest. The earth’s wind is playing a symphony of nature on the wind chimes, blowing the brown leaf ballerinas down from the high branches of my old oak, joining in the crowd of leaves in a whirlwind dancing down the street.

Late afternoon the sky was full of small snow white clouds, a string of Mikimoto priceless pearls fastened around the neck of the sky. We had sunshowers, the rain falling gently from cigar smoke clouds gathered with bright white clouds and sunshine. Now the breeze has picked up and the blue sky is filled with clouds of all colors, whites and grays and purples and blues, all sketched in different shapes and proportions, some full of rain others bleached white and kissed by the sun.

I watched the sunset, beautiful in its simplicity at dusk, a bright amber slice of lemon yellow sliding down into a gleaming crystal bowl of pink champagne punch. Father Sky probably got splashed when he leaned down to kiss the sun goodnight. Mother Nature’s palette has changed over to pale hues since she hasn’t had to paint the clouds in vibrant reds and purples. These pale shades she’s dipped her brushes in lately are exquisite eye candy. I’ve just stared at the sunsets and tried to describe their magnificence. Only the Lord could give her such splendorous hues of color.

Father Sky has kissed the sun goodnight and turned off the day’s lamps, waking a lovely night. A waxing gibbous milky moon, luminous and ethereal, hangs in the navy inky-black of the night sky as Father Sky scatters handfuls of glittering diamonds to twinkle in the navy darkness and arranges the constellations for viewing. Makes me think and feel how small I am on Mother Earth’s planet.

Read this quote today. “If you’re always racing to the next moment, what happens to the one you’re in? Slow down and enjoy the moment you’re in and live your life to the fullest,” Nanette Mathews. Let’s not rush through our lives. Life is too short to waste a minute. Let’s take time to slow down and make a conscious effort to be present with our family and friends and ourselves.

The Lord’s teachings advise us to not rush through life but to travel through life with patience and wisdom. Proverbs says “whoever makes hast with his feet misses his way.” Bible scripture also emphasize to be patient and trust God’s timing. We read in Matthew, Chapter 11, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Today I find God in the still moments of nature’s beauty, the songs of the birds, the slow meandering of beautiful clouds across the sky, the tender patter of silver rain on the trees’ leaves.

A fast pace through life gives us little time to explore God’s riches while a slow path through life gives us more time to deepen our relationship with God, to trust God as he unfolds his plans for our lives. God wants us to rest when we’re weary. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

It’s really easier to rush through life constantly trying to do more so we’ll feel worthy but slow down and you won’t miss out on all the simple things of life that make occupying space on this planet special. Slowing down allows time for better decisions, deeper connections with God and family and friends, and allows you to truly focus on people and things that matter the most. You might be going slower but I bet you’ll go further and be happier on your journey through life.

I’ve learned you can’t rush life in a porch swing!

“Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save.” — Will Rogers