Joy in the Mail(box)

I get a little antsy once the 4^th of July is past.

I start to feel like the summertime I love (and didn’t it start just yesterday?) is already halfway over and zooming to a close! I get a little panicky, like I’m not enjoying it enough… wasting these precious days that will be behind us all too quickly!

And so what do I do but try to pack more enjoyment into each one, adding pressure and stress to days that are supposed to be restful and relaxing. Instead, I need to slow down, breathe deeply, and simply savor the moment I'm in.

I did that yesterday.

I was driving home from an appointment when I whizzed by the mailbox pictured above.

I happen to be partial to mailboxes surrounded by summertime flowers.

“Oh, that’s pretty,” I thought to myself as I flew by. Suddenly I decided that no, I was not going to miss that joy, placed by a loving Father especially for me by the side of the road! Rather, I was going to give that gift of beauty the attention it deserved. So I turned around, went back, and this time approached it slowly, finally coming to a full stop for a minute to capture the sight in my heart and on my phone. And then I finally moved on, giving thanks for country roads with little traffic as I did so!

And it hit me that that’s how I make the summertime last… not by rushing past the joy each day contains in a mad dash to try to pack more fun in, but rather to pack more joy in each moment of the day I’m in. When I give each one my full appreciation, I hold it fast for just a minute, stopping the passage of time briefly, making my summertime last. 

"This is the day which the Lord hath made; We will rejoice and be glad in it."

(Psalm 118:24 KJV)