Photo by Dustin Humes on Unsplash

There was a snail on the inside of her forearm.

She was our waitress and the sight of the snail was jolting.

But luckily, I FULLY “get” modern fashion trends, including tattoos of snails!

(The snail on her forearm was a tattoo, not a real snail, if you haven’t figured that out yet. Don’t you like my artistic writing? Sometimes, you are completely confused when you read this, but that’s called “art,” not “bad writing.” I’m surprised you don’t know the difference!)

As proven here, I FULLY understand all contemporary styles, including tattoo trends, of course! It’s not like I don’t! But I still thought, “REALLY? – A SNAIL?”

Anyway, I tried to shake off the vision of the weird snail tattoo and order my lunch like regular people who don’t care about that stuff.

That’s when I noticed it.

On the wall of this restaurant, next to the beautiful, artistic photos of the “regular” animals – foxes, bears, salmon, killer whales, eagles, there was a painting of . . . you guessed it – a snail.

(There was also a prominent human smiling skull above all these photos, but OF COURSE, we expect that! See here for a CLEAR explanation of this type of fashion trend. You’re welcome!)

“What the deal with the snails?” my mind pondered, against its will.

I researched snails on Wikipedia – or I mean – I used my innate fashion wisdom to begin to unravel this enigma for you. Fertility symbol from ancient Egypt? Greek symbol of hard work?

“Why the heck do you have a SNAIL tattoo of all animals!” I accidentally blurted as she distractedly approached to take our order. Her eyes were fixed on me, not unlike when we turn a camera lens dial, trying to get it to focus. She was assessing whether she should bare her heart or smack me upside the head.

I suddenly and regrettably remembered the last time I asked a person, “WHY did he have THAT tattoo!” He very firmly told me to (equivalent of) stick my head up my rear end (what a WEIRD saying!) and not to ask such personal questions. “But the tattoo is THERE – for all to see!” I wanted to protest. He was bigger than me, so I nodded, took my coffee from him, and looked down submissively.

But a SNAIL!? Really! WHO can keep their curiosity at bay!

Luckily, this stranger opened her heart to me after sizing me up.

I’m not sure why. She did HAPPEN to be smaller than me. Perhaps I intimidated her with my ( – what it that Trump has? – ) POWER LOOK.

Photo: Regular look

Photo: POWER look

Or maybe she could inherently sense that I was lost on this journey of life, too, and could use some direction.

“Well,” she gushed, “I feel that a snail fits because I am always rushing around and want to slow…”

Rest. God reminded me as she spoke. My word for the year was Rest.

And our hearts melded into one – this stranger and I. It wasn’t the first time this had happened.

Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash

I excitedly told her about last month when our church was celebrating its fifteenth-year anniversary. The year Fifteen, God highlighted somehow in my Spirit. I was to research this.

Two ancient feasts that symbolize Rest occurred on the 15th of the month. Jesus’ body was placed in the tomb on the 15th, symbolizing Rest. However, this is not a rest as in doing nothing, but a rest that comes as a bulb in the spring gathers water and warmth from the soil before it does what it must – produce a bloom, creating life from death.

It’s a rest that comes from sitting close to the One we love, listening to His whispers, picking up our shovels in response, and then doing some gardening.

Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me.

The Message

(Everyone can learn to slow down to listen to our hearts.)

And so, what are the lessons we can learn from snail tattoos, if we are listening?

1. We are all sailing together on this crazy journey of life and encounter the same storms, though we may not have the language to talk about our travails to each other. (Do you also need a snail tattoo?)
2. There is more, there is more, there is more . . . (Do you also need to slow down a little, friend?)
3. Jesus is sipping coffee even now and waiting for you to join Him. (Do you have time to exit this reality for a few minutes to find the water your soul needs to grow its blossoms?)

As the song below plays, consider taking a few deep breaths and then asking God, “How do I need to slow down a little, like a snail?”

Jesus is handing you a sandwich. Got time to take a bite? (May you, too, find your inner or outer snail.)

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