God knows the way: The smell of flowers, small sweaty stuff

Have you ever heard the phrase "you gotta stop and smell the flowers" every now and again?

I asked myself one day, what does that really mean?

I remember once, when I was in school, how flustered or distracted I could get. Midterms, finals, dances, who my Friday date would be, where I'd be on Saturday night etc. Why I hadn't done my homework and what I'd be having for lunch. All these questions buzzing through my head made it Really difficult to think of anything else at any point of the day. I began to swarm myself with so much that I couldn't think or see straight.

You ever had one of those days?

At any rate I began running from class to class, reading my schoolwork in-between jaunts trying to stay one step ahead. I decided to take a moment to switch gears and I opened my bible to this verse:

"8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me-practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:8-9 ESV

I thought "Huh that's cool, the God of peace be wit-ahhh!" I had tripped.

When I looked up my books were on the ground but right in front of me was a little flower that had fallen off the tree next to the path I was careening down. I picked it up and took a deep breath.

It was exquisite.

How funny. I had taken a moment to stop and smell the flowers. I had peace in that moment. Inexpressible yet simple peace. I carried the flower with me to class, and hung onto it all through English 210 until someone asked me "what's with the flower?"

They had that same, rushed and eager look I had but an hour before.

I smiled, and handed them the flower saying "sometimes you just have to stop and smell the flowers."

The bible teaches us in Ecclesiastes that there is a time and a place for everything (Ecclesiastes 3 specifically) and even more interesting is what the Gospel of Matthew says:
"25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,
29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."
Matthew 6:25-34 ESV

Worrying about tomorrow, about all these frivolous little things, mean nothing in the light of everything He's got in store for you. The best way to look at it? The next time you're having, you know one of THOSE days?

Don't sweat the small stuff, and take a moment to stop...and smell the flowers.