Lessons from the Tortoise

I know in scripture God has used a donkey to get a message through to His people...well in my case He used our baby redfoot tortoise named Strawberry.

I've been pondering lately - the notion of not being too busy, but I'm realizing it's something we have to actively fight against.  We seem to wear it as a badge of honor...regularly, conversations start, "How are you?", and the standard reply, "Oh, we're busy!"

On my way home from church yesterday morning, I was mulling over all the things I needed to do to be ready for the week - straighten the house from Saturday's bridal shower, get ready for a lunch meeting on Monday, finish a project I committed to, get school stuff prepared for the week...oh yes, and there was more...laundry...you moms know where I'm coming from!

Because the weather had been SOO hot, and is now finally "play outside" weather, the girls eagerly asked if they can go ride their bikes.  Well of course I allowed it...so off they went!

When I got in the house, I realized our baby tortoise needed her daily dose of sunshine, but I didn't want to make the girls stop their bike ride, so I decided to take her outside to toodle in the yard. 

I grabbed a beach towel, put her in the grass and just sat there - cross legged with the sunshine & gentle breeze hitting my face.  I even left my phone inside.  I just sat there.  And just sat there.  And just sat there. 

I watched the trees sway in the wind, I noticed a bird circle the area, I even saw a peculiar fuzzy looking bug land on the grass - and I just watched it.  No music, no book, no to-do list, just sat there.

We got a hydroponic garden that works as a waterfall and I even told my husband how excited I was about just sitting on the patio and listening to the waterfall...that was over a month ago, yet I've not taken the time to just sit there.

In that moment - sitting with little Strawberry, I was reminded that God speaks in the stillness.  God fills our tanks in the stillness.  God blows healing into our beings in the stillness.