All in a Snail's Days Work...

All in a Snail’s Days Work... Pause and watch this video...to the end.

Did you make it? Be honest. Most of us will say; Nooooo! Or that we had to pry our eyelids open with toothpicks. Honestly, how can we be expected to watch a slow moving snail for almost 30 seconds? Personally, I have important things to do. People to see. Places to go. I. Am. Busy. Don’t get me wrong. I can sit for hours and watch something engaging. Something that keeps my adrenaline pumping. Or my oxytocin flowing with happy endorphins. My vice. The Hallmark Channel. It is hard to pause for snails. They are so slow. And unbelievably...still. They are never in a hurry. I am positive I could light a fire behind one. And it would not pick up its pace. Why? I had to know the real answer. So I asked Google: “Why do snails...”. Yep. That is as far as I got. Apparently, LOTS of people ask about snails. And the first prompt I could choose? Yes, it was “Why do snails move so slow?” I felt better knowing that other people were probably just as bothered as me. Well. Or curious. Here’s what Google said, “One of the reasons that they move so slowly is that they must manufacture a slime track on which they move. For every inch they move, they make a thin layer of slime an inch long. This takes time as well as lots of water and energy. The advantage is that they can move along on almost ANY surface.” Wow! I am bothered by a creature who lives in a posture of dependant intentionality. They are preparing for every “step”. Each of their movements relies on their ability to...pause...and manufacture slime. They need to prepare. Before they can move. Okay...God. I get it. I hear You. This is not just another lesson about “slowing down”. Which I understand I am still learning. No. It’s not just about slowing down. It is about intentional dependence. Pausing. And preparing. Before I move. What if I lived like a snail? Never taking a step before pausing. Recognizing my dependence on God. And preparing for my day with the slime that will keep me going? An attitude of worship. A heart filled with God’s Word. Engaged with the Holy Spirit. Attuned to His voice. Snails are successful because they instinctively know what they need to do. And they just do it. It takes time. And energy. But the payoff is amazing! They can move on ANY surface. I want to walk on ANY surface. Over the mountains. And rocks. In the hardest places. Like the valleys. And desserts. And I CAN! If I stop rolling my eyes at the snail. And instead. Learn to be more like one.