Sweet Moments

Everything in life is so busy! Sometimes I don't feel like I can catch my breath. I am sure that pretty much everyone who reads this feels exactly like I do. From the time I jump out of bed in the morning until I crash land on my couch at night, I am constantly on the go! I am always running from place to place, and when I am not on the go I start to worry that there must be something I am forgetting! It's so crazy to me how many ways we can muti- task in order to make things quicker and easier for us. We have cell phones with Internet so we can call in reservations or call in food orders so we don't waste time ordering it at the restaurant. We have TV recorders so we don't have to waste time watching commercials. We have remote controls for practically everything so we don't have to get up and distract us from the several other things we are probably doing. We can pay for gas at the pump.... We can check out on our own at the stores... We can order things online... ...and we do all of these shortcuts so we can squeeze even more things into our schedules. Now don't get me wrong...I have come to love and appreciate all of these things. I own an IPhone and I use it for practically everything!!!! I guess the reason all of this hit me is because two weekends out of the month I have been taking care of the sweetest 87 year old lady...which pretty much keeps me in the house for three days straight. At first I thought it would be difficult, but I have come to appreciate the simplicity that a slower pace of life can offer. When I am at the house with her I get to spend time reading with her, singing old hymns or elvis(love him), and my personal favorite...listening to the stories of her children, grandchildren and her late husband. Today I went in to check on her and she wasn't in her usual sitting room. I walked through the house looking for her and finally found her sitting in the garage in an old chair. She had the garage door open and was enjoying the cool breeze. When she finally noticed me she greeted me with a warm smile and invited me to sit beside her. As we sat there together I took a deep breath and realized it was the first time in a long time that I had stopped long enough to just...well...to just stop. She placed her beautifully manicured hand on mine and told me softly that the chair she was sitting in was her late husbands work chair. She said that many times she will come out to the garage, find his chair and spend sweet moments reflecting on time that slipped away. That comment has been tugging at my heart for the last couple hours. ...sweet moments that slip away. I began to wonder if in the craziness of my life...have I let sweet moments with loved ones slip away???? I know I won't be getting rid of my IPhone or my TV, but I wonder if there are things that I can do to simplify life a little more. Taking care of my sweet Mama L has been such a blessing.... She has taught me so many things about life in the short amount of time that I have known her;however, I believe that one of the best things I have learned is to take time out of my day to just be still. Trust me....take a few sweet moments out of your day to just...be... still. Oh how He loves you and me