raindrops on roses

My backyard's been rather dry lately.  By "rather dry" I mean brittle.  By "brittle" I mean walking on what should be soft, lush, green grass is like walking on a field of prickly, pointy, poky needles.  Tonight I gave the lawn an extra drink of water, thinking it would soften up the deathly glare.  Ten minutes later it began to downpour.  Ironic?  Perhaps. 

The impeccable timing of the rain tonight got me thinking...what was the rush?  Why did I choose to run a sprinkler on a lawn which was ready for a good dousing when the sky was giving hints possible rain?  In the same way, how often have I jumped to conclusions in a tough situation?  How frequent is my "need for speed" when it comes to getting chores and other errands done?  How many millions of times have I disregarded God's timing and regarded my own as a "better" bet?  What is so hard about slowing down?

All these questions make me wonder an even bigger question, what is it about our lives today, that make it so necessary to HURRY!?  Parents enroll toddlers in Kindergarten.  Teens look for the next short-cut to college.  Adults search for get-rich-quick schemes on the Internet.  Lovers leap into marraige like it's a fair ride.  It's as if we all have a time-bomb inside of us just waiting to go off and we're done for if we don't Hurry It Up Sally.

I'm guilty of this in my own life.  I'd say impatience with myself is the biggest fault within me.  I have never been very good at relaxing in my own station of life.  Enjoying each day as it comes has been no talent of mine.  To some of you, on the outside, you don't see it.  But it's there inside of me.  Always looking for the next great thing to happen; many times trying to beat it to the finish line.  Seems to me, as soon as I set out the sprinkler...God sends the rain and I wonder why I worried in the first place.

So Void, next time your lawn is prickly, remember, a shower is probably on its way.  Try to hold off your power to water and see what God has in mind.  He could be sending you a downpour...or a monsoon...or a flood.