Slow it down, Momma.

Ever since we moved, I’ve kind of been in warp speed.

Unpack, unpack, unpack. Get the house put together before Jon has to go back to work. (He’s been back at work for a week and it’s still not done. Oops.) Meal plan and clean and organize.

Get back to blogging. Write an eBook. Start up Simply Devoted, find leaders, get groups together, tie up loose ends.

Put my spiritual life in order. Get up for regular quiet times. Watch less TV and listen to more music.

Decide on preschool curriculum. Go to Lakeshore and buy everything on their shelves. Get everything set up at home so we can actually start working. (Not done. Not even started.)

Go, go, go. Do, do, do.

I get that way sometimes.

Jon and Emmy were playing together in the backyard last week, and I took my computer out to the patio table to work on some blogging stuff, but still be outside with them. I tried to work, but I couldn’t.

The scenes in front of me were too beautiful.

Sometimes, the beauty of life is enough to just stop me in my tracks. To shock some sense back into me and help me put aside my to do list and just s.l.o.w. d.o.w.n.

It’s the simple things that are beautiful, don’t you think? It’s the simple things that we all-too-often miss.

A daddy lifting his daughter up to look at a bird’s nest in a tree.

A tree planted in a big backyard that we had once only dreamed about.

A silly two-year-old who loves Mulan because her daddy is in the movie too, and asks daddy to teach her how to “fight like Mulan and her daddy”. All the while “grrr”ing as fiercely as a sweet girl can.

I had to just stop and watch. And my heart filled and my spirit soared and I was overwhelmed with gratefulness.

Because, aside from the pure beauty of the moment, I never could have hoped that we’d be here, in a place where a Saturday morning is full of laughter and joy and miracles.

We walked through a lot of darkness a few years ago, darkness I could hardly see my way out of. But Jesus, He is so good to me. To us.

And here we are. Living out our miracle. Finding bird nests and being silly and loving each other with time and attention and honesty.

I don’t ever want to be moving so fast that I miss all He’s done for us.

Life is real and there are struggles and there are still days where I want to scream or pull my hair out, or both. But the blessings far outweigh the struggles these days.

Maybe they always did, and I’m just finally at a place where I can see that.

So slow it down, momma. I know how much is on your plate, and I know how important those things are.

But there’s nothing more important than witnessing the miracles unfolding right in front of you. And you can’t do that when you’re moving so fast.

Slow down. Pay attention. Speak gratefulness. Praise Him for the little things.

Enjoy the beauty. It’s there. You just have to take the time to look up.

(For an incredible post on this topic, head on over to “Walk Slowly” @ Amanda Conquers. You’ll love it.)