My Favorite Things

God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you.  Augustine

I was thinking about my favorite things this weekend.  One of the things I realized fairly quickly was that many of my favorite things revolve around love, peace, happiness and quiet times. 

So here is a list of some of my favorite things.  Swings, candlelight, hammocks, puppies, waves rolling onto the beach, old hymns, porches, riding a horse, singing along with my favorite tunes, birds, driving a tractor, fishing, floating in an inner tube down a lazy river, watching snow fall, rain on an old tin roof, sitting around a campfire,  seeing the moon's reflection on the water, listening to the rustle of leaves in the trees, driving down an open road and sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch watching the sun rise. 

These are just a small list of my favorite things.  When I started thinking about these, it struck me how the majority of them relate to quiet times and peaceful settings. Maybe not so much when I am driving down the road singing; most people wouldn’t find my singing very soothing, but many are about God’s creation.  

  

Sometimes this world we live in moves so fast or we move so fast that we often miss the things God wants us to see.  He created this amazing place that is filled with sightings of Him.  The problem is we are missing the chance to get a glimpse of Him because we are too busy. I think another problem we have is we have forgotten what it was like to be a child; to see the wonder of the world around us; to not fear anything and to live in the moment.  When was the last time you slowed down and watched the sunset or spent quiet time alone?

God is waiting for each of us to come to Him and rest.  In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus tells us to “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  He is waiting to give you rest.  Step off of the fast track and find rest.

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I need the rest only You can provide.  Too many times I am running so fast that I miss Your presence in my life.  Help me to slow down and appreciate the rest You give.  I want to become more like a child who sees the world through a different lens.  I praise You for taking my burden and giving me peaceful rest.  

  

Scripture: At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.  Matthew 18:1-5