Stop And Smell The Roses, Write? by Emily Owen

As a child, I remember waiting impatiently en route to the park - or somewhere equally exciting - while my granny stopped to smell any roses we passed.

As an adult, I remember stopping to smell the roses with her (probably not en route to the park by this time, but you get the point).

We paused to enjoy wonderful fragrances.

We slowed down, together.

Granny had taught me to stop and smell the roses.

I still think of her, every rose I smell.

I was recently at a church where the following picture was displayed. 
I thought it beautiful:

I was reminded of a time, years ago, when I was asked to speak on Psalm 139. 
Quite a familiar psalm, isn’t it? 
Many people have read it, spoken on it, written about it. 
I decided to try and ‘slow it down’. 
To give us opportunity to really think about each bit.
Which is where John 3:16 (the verse above) and Psalm 139 meet. 
I took a similar approach to the one pictured...

O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. 

You know everything.  All about my hopes, my dreams, my successes, my disappointments, what makes me happy, what makes me sad.

Help me to share all these things with you, all the ups and downs in my life, the bad times as well as the good times. 

You know when I sit and when I rise;

You perceive my thoughts from afar. 

I can’t do anything or even think anything that you won’t know about and, to be honest, Lord, sometimes I find that a bit scary - because I know that I sometimes think and do things that don’t please you.  Help me to listen to your voice saying, ‘Nothing you can do will ever make Me stop loving you.  Look, I’ve wiped the slate clean.  Let’s make a fresh start, together.’

You discern my going out and my lying down;

You are familiar with all my ways.

You are familiar with all I do because you enjoy spending time with me.

You love to chat with me about anything and everything.

I am sorry for the times when I shut you out.  Help me to let nothing get in the way of my relationship with you.

Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.

You know everything that I say.  Help what I say to others to be loving and encouraging rather than hurtful and undermining.

You hem me in – behind and before;

You have laid your hand upon me. 

I know I am always safe, because your arms are round me, protecting me, sending me my very own ‘hug from heaven’.  Whatever happens to me, good or bad, I know that nothing can ever stop you from surrounding me with your love.  Help me to remember that, especially when things seem to go wrong in life and nothing makes sense.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

Too lofty for me to attain.

I can never understand how much you care for me, how much you love me.  Help me to remember that I don’t need to try and understand it, I only need to accept it.

Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

If I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

Wherever I go, you are there, too.  Whatever I do, you are there, too.  Whatever I say, you are there, too.  In every aspect of my life, you are there.  Help me to remember that I never have to do it on my own.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting.

The ‘slow it down’ approach is one I sometimes take in writing, as well as speaking. 
It blesses me. Perhaps it might bless you, too? 
Why not give it a go. 
Here’s Psalm 121, which I’ve started to get you started (or - of course - for you to completely ignore, and do your own thing):

  

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

where does my help come from?

Life is hard. I’m looking up. I am. Or at least, I’m trying. I’m struggling at the moment. I need to remind myself that I’m not living my days and moments alone…

My help comes from the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

…God is with me. All the time. He’s always ready to help. What better helper could I have, than the One who made the world, and everything in it. The One who made me.

He will not let your foot slip—

he who watches over you will not slumber;

God will keep me safe.

indeed, he who watches over Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you—

the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm—

he will watch over your life;

the Lord will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore.

Stop and smell the roses...