Good morning…
My inner clock is set at ten minutes late. Actually, my problem is this: I get so caught up in the present moment that I have a hard time ending what I am doing now to move on to comes next. And… Atlanta driving is always quite iffy, so add that to my equation, and I am notoriously late.
On a day crammed full with really good stuff, I had to shed a few planned-on things to be on time for our son’s 24th birthday breakfast. I walked into Panera Bread perfectly on time (actually two minutes early, 10:18, if we are going to be exact).
One minute later, I got a call. “We are just leaving church. I am going to drop Louise off at her house so she can get her car, since I am going straight to golf after breakfast. We will get there around 10:40.”
Did I mention to you that I have a very, very busy day? Every second had been parceled out for maximum benefit. And now… I had an opportunity to pivot and prioritize differently.
After saying, “I look forward to seeing you when you get here,” I ordered a cup of coffee. I chose to sit outside in the shade, grounding my feet on the pavement below. Nudged to type these words into my phone, my Monday morning blog post began forming early.
Once the kids arrived, they found me sitting barefoot on the patio, grounded and peaceful. And… what had I learned?
- Noticing my anxiety mix with frustration, I nipped them in the bud. My adaptability flourished.
- Nurturing flexibility is a gift we first give ourselves. Breathe in peace. Breathe out patience.
- Our gracious acceptance, of the moment as it is, spreads out to offer to others our non-anxious presence.
- With the Spirit infusing our interactions, it is a gift to learn to give grace as well as to receive grace.
Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life (Philippians 4:7, MSG).
…Sue…
