Small Things are Sometimes Sweetest.

While living "out here," one can learn a lot about the concept of time. It takes more time to get to the market. It takes more time to send an email. It takes more time for your coffee to be prepared at the coffee shop. And it definitely takes more time to get directions from the clerk at the gas station- perhaps you've observed or even had a conversation with the very gentleman I'm talking about- ever heard the phrase (spoken in a nice, country drawl, of course) "You can't get there from here" ?

But the luxury that makes all of that waiting worthwhile lies in the fact that, yes, one actually has the time to spend time. Living in a more rural area, I'm not constantly on the phone or waiting in line, or stuck in traffic. So, I do have time to drive a few extra miles to see a friend, or to get a cup of coffee, or to stop and say hello to the owner of my favorite antique store, or... to bake lemon raspberry muffins.

These muffins were a labor of love themselves, but I was able to share them with my mother's and sister's friends who came over for some prayer- I hope the muffins made their conversation and prayer all the sweeter- as well as my darling baby niece, whose smile upon nibbling these made them worth every ounce of time. And.. they were made (of course) with raspberries tended to and picked by my dad.

The next time I'm tempted to complain about time, I will remember to slow down and thank God for the beauty in small things.