“Always”
For several years, a lovely, quick friend visited our backyard regularly. This roadrunner was special, exuberant color and size. He had an attitude that made me smile inside, each time I saw him. Wanting to capture and keep that inner smile, I got my camera ready. A few days later he rolled in. Wanting to snap a few pictures, I pounced…bad move. He rolled in, I tiptoed trying to get close enough to get a few details. He rolled…I ran…he rolled…I chased him…he rolled off and I didn’t see him for two years. I have my photos but lost a friend.
As we were going through the most difficult chapter of our life, our little, friend rolled back in. My mind constantly ruminating, I couldn’t get past my darkest fears. In would roll my friend. I discovered He was a She and had a nest of baby roadrunners in the rosebush. This seemed a risky move with our dogs and cat in the yard, but she came and went many times each day. She offered my fearful mind and heart a diversion, regularly each day. Not only when she came, but just thinking of baby roadrunners was a real gift. This tiny, big creature kept us from sinking. I eventually painted her as a gift for, Kevin, my husband. It sat above our fireplace for several years before I realized the gift God had so generously given us during those weeks of despair. I had simply painted the girl that we loved to see roll by, now I see the gigantic goodness of God even when we are not looking. Imagine if we really looked. Little gifts all around, what is being offered to you?
Allow & Delight: Find a place to be still, standing or sitting. Slowly look and closely observe little pieces of possible joy, if viewed through a lens of gratitude. Savor through your eyes. Place your right hand on your heart and your left hand on top of the right. Inhale through your nose. Now imagine inhaling gratitude, big belly breath right into the heart. Pause and exhale out of the heart…360 degrees around the heart. Inhale big, beautiful breath into your heart from all directions, exhale the same. Repeat this at least 20 times, or as long as possible. Take a close look at the painting. Does anything catch your attention? Trust what you are drawn to. Look closely and enjoy the process of trusting. Allow yourself to enjoy what you see. Stay with that for a few rounds of breath. After trusting simply wonder, “Why am I drawn to this shape, color, texture or object? Continue breathing deeply. Did a piece of the story resonate with you? Ask God if there is an action needed with this observation. Stay with the process of being for 3-5 minutes. How can you trust and receive? Share?
