Thankful for the Small Things

So this morning I was running late, which isn't really that unusual for me.

At least once a week I tell myself I have to get my act together. (Coincidentally, I first heard this phrase from a 3rd grader a few years ago, as we pulled in late to school... again... as in, "Mom, you really need to get your act together.")

Sigh...

I had clinical and we had an early start and I get in my car and the car is almost on empty.  I debated heading on to Campton and taking my chances but was afraid it'd look worse if I had to call my students from the side of the road to come get me, so I stopped and got $10 worth of gas.

I pulled out onto 15 from the old road and it was so foggy you could barely see the end of the car... but then the a beautiful sunbeam broke up the fog and the trees looked glorious just like yesterday and I thought that maybe my day wouldn't be so bad.

I was driving down 15 trying to follow the speed limit and then had to worry about passing the slooooww truck that just had to pull out in front of me even though there was nothing behind me for five miles...

and I started thinking about how if we are in a rush, we fail to appreciate the small things.

And the small things are all too often the big things.

I'm not sure why we feel like we have to live life in a rush, but I started the day running late and felt like I was running late all day long...

even though I wasn't. And even though I had nothing pressing to do.

I think it's a deliberate tool from our enemy to attack our peace... to attack our well-being... to attack our schedule.

And to make us think we have to rush when we don't.

Nothing makes us feel overwhelmed like having too many things to do in a short amount of time.

I'm learning to do better. I'm still not great at saying no, and I'm recognizing that sometimes it's not really God's will for me to say no. I can't avoid doing things just because I want free time to myself.

And I can't avoid people just because I'd like to sit on the couch and read a book.

So, tonight I'm thankful for people who take time to pause and help me when I need help... people like Shannon and Kena in Academic Affairs and Leanna and Leanne in the business office and Brad who is our tech guru (making sure my Blackboard does what it needs to do and that I have a computer lab to work in) and the M & O crew that unlocks my office door when I lock my keys up because I'm in such a rush that I forget them.

And I'm thankful for my friends in the Jackson Woman's Club.  It's not always my cup of tea to make small talk, but tonight I sat with some lovely ladies and did just that.

And I'm thankful that our county has a historian like Stephen Bowling, who shared information about the 1939 flood to our group tonight. I love my Breathitt county heritage.

And I'm thankful for a support group on facebook to help me with weight loss accountability and for treadmill time even though I didn't want to do it.

And I'm thankful for bedtime.

Because even though His grace is sufficient to keep me as I rush through my day, it's also sufficient to renew me as I rest.