Intentionality: Getting Unstuck

I almost didn't save a life today.

I woke up with a pounding headache. Rather than pop a pain reliever, I thought I'd take a nice morning walk in an effort to clear my head. Then I had the brilliant idea to kill two birds with one stone by multitasking. I got out my phone to return a few messages and check the news, all while increasing my step count for the day. 

Efficient, right?

As I walked past the overgrown brambles, proud of my ability to check more things off my ever-growing list, I almost didn't hear the quiet, yet frantic rustling of wings. I pocketed my phone and stood there for a moment. 

Listening. 

Searching. 

There, in the brambles, a beautiful goldfinch was clinging to life, with one foot hooked around a fence wire and the other caught up in weeds. I felt so sorry for the little fella, stuck there like he was. I imagined him, like me at times, full of fear and anxiety.

A slight touch to the weeds was all it took, and the precious little bird was free, chirping his gratitude as he flew away. Minimal effort for me. A life saving moment for the goldfinch.

What a shame it would've been had I not shifted my focus in those moments. 

Maybe efficiency isn't where my focus should be, but in slowing down and being more intentional.

There are so many messages that I can pull from this experience. For one, multitasking on my phone causes me to miss things. What did I miss before I came upon the bird? What blessings could I have received from the beauty of the morning? I believe God was trying to get my attention with that little bird. 

Another is that it often takes next to nothing to do a small act of kindness for someone. What may be a small effort on our part can be a life-changing, perhaps even life-saving experience for another.

The other thing the little bird taught me this morning? It's important to not get tangled in distractions and busyness, and to know when to let go of the fence and fly. 

This has been true for me in the journey of finding who I am besides just a mom. Where am I stuck in the weeds? Where am I fearfully holding onto the fence too tight, when it may only take a minor adjustment to let go of fear and fly with faith?

Matthew 6:26-27 tells us, "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" 

Did you hear that? You are valuable. You are worthy.

Too much passes us by if our attention is divided. Be intentional. Hone your focus. Untangle yourself from the weeds of worry and fear, of distractions and busyness, and let go of the fence to fly with faith. 

And do it all while being kind. 

You could be saving someone's life. You could be saving your own.

Where are you stuck today? Where might it take a minor shake up of the weeds of distraction and busyness to let you fly with faithful freedom? Or, where in your life are you fearfully holding on to the fence when you need to let go and fly with faithful freedom? Let's support and encourage each other in the comments below.