From The Pastor’s Pen – By Brian Horrobin
Poet and Pulitzer Prize winner, Mary Oliver, once had this advice when asked about how to appreciate the one precious life that we have: “Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.”
This concise list is by no means exhaustive but it does provide some sound pointers that we can all benefit from.
If we seek to pay more attention to things in life we will be apt to see more and miss less.
Zechariah 4:10 says, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.”
Too often we are in a hurry and rush over things like a child’s first bike ride without training wheels or an Alzheimer patient’s ramblings about what’s bothering them.
Let’s slow down and pay more attention and see what else may meet the eye.
To be astonished at life is to appreciate it for its uniqueness and not take it for granted.
I once visited a lady going through cancer treatments who described a tangerine that she was served at breakfast as if it it had been freshly picked by God Himself from the Garden of Eden.
Let’s quit assuming that it’s old hat when a bee pollinates a flower, or the sun sinks slowly in the west on a warm, August evening, or that each snowflake really does differ from every other snowflake.
Finally, let’s share our profound discoveries of life.
Jesus taught for hours at a time on grassy hillsides to crowds that marvelled at His every word about nature, relationships, and necessities of life.
Gather your kids at dinner and tell them your story.
Call your elderly mom and tell her about your day.
Purpose to tell others and share the wealth.
It will likely spread from there.
Life is precious – don’t keep it all to yourself!
