Beautiful Mess

A morning run is a luxury in my life. Matty is up and out the door before the sun shares its smiling face.  The other morning however, he went in to work a little later and I had a carpe diem moment.  While I could go for a run in the afternoon, there is something serene about the early morning.  It's quiet and still.  Peaceful.

While I was running, er walking, um...moving in a forward motion; I passed this amazing tree.  I love the trees in south Florida. They're narly, with all of their branches wrapped around each other.  They are a mess. They are beautiful. I paused my forward motion and reflected on the moment. It was a beautiful mess, but it stood strong and tall. Behind it the canal was like glass and it was surrounded by the calm.  In a few hours the calm will dissipate and the noise of the day will invaded.  But still it will stand unmoving.

Further down the path while passing over the canal I noticed how smooth and still it was. But beneath the surface it was chaotic, muddy and moving. A whole other world was living and breathing there. It was beautiful. It was messy.

Isn't that how life is - a tangled, muddy, beautiful mess? It wears us out. It wears us down. Here is the key though; the quiet moments.

Be still and know that I am God.

It does not matter how crazy messy life gets.  If we can remember to be still and know our God we can stand as strong as that tree.  We can continue to flow freely with life. Breathe deep, soak in the moment, embrace your beautiful mess and be at peace.