His Divine Embrace...

Slowing down...Ann Voskamp on her blog, Holy Experience, asked us to share on this Walk with Him Wednesday about how we slow down. Like a splash of icy water on my face, the very thought sent shivers through me. "Not this week, I can't slow down, can't even think about slowing down until next week!" was my thought. You see, I have this big ladies' retreat coming this weekend, and there's just so much to do to get ready for it, and, and, and...the excuses make a long list.

I am NOT in general, a procrastinator. If there's a job to be done, I like to get in there and just "get er done". I like to do it well, but I like to do it fast. Detailed arts and crafts or home projects that take weeks or months are not for me. I have been known to stay up all night to get a room painted, a kitchen wallpapered. I want to get things done.

Tuesday nights I watch my 8 month old grandaughter while my son in law and daughter lead our church's youth ministry. I brought my brief case full of things needing done for this weekend's upcoming retreat. But when I walked into my daughter's home, baby grandaughter leaned out of her mama's arms and reached out to me with a big grin. The brief case fell to the floor as I reached to meet her embrace. I played ball with her, delighted in her laugh, played peek a boo, watched her splash and squeal as I bathed her, felt her little hand caress my face as I fed her a bottle. After she was tucked into bed and asleep, I pull out Dana Candler's book, Deep unto Deep, The Journey of His Embrace. I'm studying for this weekend, opening His Word as well as gleaning from other's writings. By page 5 I have to stop, I am forced to slow down. Through her words, pointing me to THE WORD, my Bridegroom Lover God woos me. Her words help me understand the concept of God's romance of me...not just His Bride, the church, but His Bride, Elizabeth. And for the second time that evening, briefcase falls to the floor, as I reach to meet a loving embrace, His divine embrace.