"Snapshots and Inkspirations"

You know that moment when you take the first sip of ice tea on a scorching summer day? The way it cools you from the inside out? Or that sweet taste of guarapo—that sugar cane drink that dances across your tongue, the gentle creak of a hammock beneath the shade of an ancient tree under the Colombian sun, the rhythm of waves kissing the shore around you? I caught myself this morning—pausing—the melodic song of a cardinal pulling me from hurried thoughts, his scarlet wings flashed against the pale blue sky, and for a breathtaking minute, nothing else mattered. That's what savoring is, my friend.To savor means to relish with unhurried delight. The Message translation reminds us, "Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him" (Psalm 34:8, MSG). When was the last time you ran toward delight rather than duty? It's not just tasting or smelling something pleasant—it's letting that pleasure sink bone-deep. It's standing fully in the now, refusing to rush ahead to the next moment, the next task, the next worry. "Taste and see that the LORD is good," invites the psalmist (Psalm 34:8, TPT). Have you allowed yourself the luxury of tasting lately? Of seeing—really seeing—the goodness scattered like gems throughout your ordinary days? Isn’t it interesting that after each act of creation, God didn't immediately move on to the next project? No—He paused. He noticed. "And God saw that it was good." (Genesis 1:31) He savored what He'd made. The Passion Translation puts it beautifully: "Drink deeply of the pleasures of this God. Experience for yourself the joyous mercies he gives to all who turn to hide themselves in him." (Psalm 34:8, TPT) But let's be honest—we struggle with this, don't we? Our culture whispers (sometimes shouts) that our worth comes from productivity. When was the last time you put 'savor the sunset' on your to-do list? Or added 'pause beneath the night sky' to your agenda - to witness the black canvas shimmering with stars, each one a silent storyteller, all paying homage to the glorious, bold full moon? What if our most meaningful accomplishments aren't tasks we can check off, but moments that we fully inhabit? Maybe true wealth isn't measured in hours worked, but in breaths that catch at the sight of beauty. In a world racing forward, maybe wisdom lies in standing still long enough to let wonder find you. Lisa Graham McMinn writes in The Contented Soul: The Art of Savoring Life: "An unintended byproduct of our self-determining, productive, economically vibrant and enriched lives is that we forget who we are. We forget that we are souls.” I wonder if our constant restlessness, our lack of contentment, our pursuit of the next thing, comes from missing the treasures God scatters throughout our ordinary days. "Every good gift bestowed, every perfect gift received comes to us from above, courtesy of the Father of lights." (James 1:17, MSG) Savoring requires us to live in the now, to focus on what's right before us. Daily, the Divine Artist scatters treasures across our path—the steam curling from your coffee cup. The laughter of a child. The weight of your loved one’s hand in yours. The first star appearing in the twilight sky. What ordinary wonder is inviting your attention today? What simple pleasure is God offering you to savor right now? Maybe our spiritual practice for today is simply this: to pause, to notice, to delight—to savor each moment as the sacred gift it truly is. Will you accept the invitation to savor today? Reference: The Contented Soul: The Art of Savoring Life (Lisa Graham McMinn)