I love the tea olive bush.  Four of them are growing in our yard at home.  When we built the office building at church, I had a few of them planted here as well.  They produce clusters of small white blooms for several weeks during the winter that emit a beautiful, sweet fragrance that can linger in the yard.

This week I parked in front of my office, got out of the car and began walking toward the door when seemingly out of the blue on a cloudy day I smelled that sweetness.  I stopped and just took it in.  The experience didn’t last more than 30 seconds, but it made me feel good.

I have that experience several times each winter.  At home and at the church office, that sweet scent always makes me smile.  I always stop, if only for a few seconds, and smell the sweetness.

I try to do the same thing in life.  Sometimes I stop and take in those special moments.  Other times I’m so busy or distracted, I just keep going.  Each time I stop and take in life’s little gifts, my life is blessed.  When I don’t, I miss out on blessings God wanted to give me.

I encourage you to take a moment or two each day to just stop and enjoy the small things.  Soak them in.  Smell the sweetness.  You’ll be glad you did.

Pastor Steve Hogg