5 Ways to slow down
during Christmas
What in the world is all the hurry for? It seems people are
running 100 miles per hour in every direction. Almost every day as I drive to
and from work, I see people racing down the road like their house is on fire or
something. We have all heard “race to the red light”! I mean people get
irritated when the car in front of them turns on their turn signal knowing they
are going to have to slow down and let them turn. They usually whip around them
in disgust that they were slowed down. Some are constantly changing lanes back
and forth trying to find the fastest lane. It’s unbelievable today.
Everything is all about speed and fast now days. At theme
parks now you can buy your way to fast with a “fast pass”. With that you get to
enjoy a shorter line. We used to call that cutting in line, now you buy your
way to cut in line. Internet speeds are ridiculous fast compared to 5 years
ago. I remember dial-up internet with speeds not even at one mbps speed yet.
Now, the slowest speed is around 30 mbps download and is lightning fast. The
average speed is now around 100 mbps and is incredibly fast.
Day after day and year after year, we humans run faster and
faster. We never slow down and continually seek ways to speed up everything we
do. We get irritated when there are more than 5 cars at the red light and we
may not get through the first light. We complain at slow service where we shop
when in reality it was not really slow at all. We race to the red light driving
and when we are in a drive-thru window we can’t understand what is taking so
long and we ream out the person serving us at the window.
Is it any wonder that we constantly ask the question where our
day went! We blink and we are on the way home from work already and can’t
figure out what happened. We over plan our calendars, we race around all day at
work, we fill up our weekends, and we can’t say no to anything people ask of
us. We race to church because we woke up late or had a dozen things to do
before church then after we race to our favorite restaurant to get there before
the crowd does and then we complain because the service was slow and we wonder
why we are so irritated and frustrated all the time?
So, am I advocating the Mayberry philosophy for life? No,
not really although that would not be a bad thing. I am not against speed. In
fact, I drive a BMW sports car with engine modifications on a four cylinder
that can produce up to 250 horsepower. You want speed, I got it! But, I don’t
drive like a maniac in town and run people off the road in a hurry. I actually
like driving the speed limit or under and take my time when driving most the
time. However, get me on a back road and I’ll push it up to 100 mph or more for
some fun!
I just believe we are driving our lives up to unsafe speeds.
What I mean by that is going so fast all the time, will eventually burn us out
or wear us out. Let me explain with an illustration about my wife’s grand dad,
Merle. Merle lived in the foot hills of the Shawnee Mountains in Illinois on
about 10 acres. He was a real cowboy working hard every day, but at a pace much
slower that we know or are used to today. Merle, took his time and enjoyed the
things around him. He never missed a thing and knew what was going on all
around him. This happened after grandma passed away and Merle lived alone. We
were staying with Merle for a visit and that morning I was sitting in the
kitchen drinking coffee with Merle. You see, Merle was an early riser but then
sat around and drank his coffee then cooking some breakfast. He was not in any
hurry either. It was getting later in the morning and Merle was just sitting
and talking and telling stories. I didn’t think we were ever going to get
breakfast. My wife decided to go get her shower out of the way since Merle was
slow getting started. A short time later my wife walks in the kitchen, in a
bath robe, with a towel around her head and told Merle that the shower stopped
working right in the middle of it. He turned around and gave a little chuckle
at how his granddaughter looked, then stated that the dad-blasted belt on the
pump either broke or came off again. He then turned around and started drinking
his coffee like nothing had happened. After a few minutes she asked him if he
could please fix the pump that she would like to finish her shower; if it
wasn’t too much to ask. Merle said no problem he would be there shortly and
seemed to be in no hurry to fix the pump. Finally after another few minutes, my
wife already irritated, Merle goes to fix the pump for her. I was always amazed
at what Merle would accomplish in a days’ time. We just were not used that slow of a pace in life but Merle lived it every day. He enjoyed life slowly!
The point is, Merle was in no hurry and was on his own time
schedule. We city folks coming in and wanting our shower in a hurry wasn’t
going to work for him. All the years I knew Merle, I noticed he was never in a
hurry, yet accomplished a lot of work. He stopped and talked to people along
the way and helped people all the time. He was known all over the county where
he was loved for just being a great all-around cowboy. Did you catch that!
Merle lived a slow life yet accomplished a lot of work. Today, we think speed
is better and that we will accomplish more. Yet, in the long-haul is that
really the truth?
I realize that during the Apostle Paul’s life there was no
technology nor modern day inventions or in Jesus’s lifetime for that matter.
But, look at what Paul accomplished in his journeys to spread the Gospel.
Through Paul’s journeys he was able to meet hundreds of people and to share
about Jesus that would change their life. He was patient, kind, and persistent
in his travels. I have heard this many times that to accomplish great things
you don’t have to work harder but smarter. I believe that to be true to some
extent. Paul was smart in how he spread the Gospel and thought through his
plans. The only way to work smarter is to slow down and think more.
In our day and time, I believe we miss opportunities to help
others, to serve others, to meet others, to know others, and to even witness to
others. Why? Because we are just going to fast! Christmas is one of the fastest
times in our year. There is so much to do; shopping, hanging outside lights,
entertaining relatives, getting the house ready, more shopping, Christmas
parties, more shopping, and you can see people are just rushing around like
crazy. Allow to me to give you 5 ways to slow down this Christmas season and
enjoy your surroundings so much more.
Talk to people -
as you are going, stop and talk to people. When you are shopping at the store,
take a few minutes to talk to the clerk or people standing in line. You never
know who you will lift up and encourage during a busy time just by making the
effort to visit with them along the way.
Be aware – look
around you and be aware of what is going on. Don’t be so focused that you miss
opportunities around you so serve and help others in need. Maybe there is a
super long line at the store and by the time you get to check out the clerk is
frustrated. A quick thank you and how is your day going with some encouragement
would make their day.
Don’t over plan –
you are in control over your calendar and are responsible for it filling up so
full. Watch it closely and be open to saying no to extra events that will rob
you of valuable time during Christmas.
Be intentional –
Christmas is a celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Make it that
way for you and your family and carry that over to others as you go. Don’t get
so caught up in how others take Christ out of Christmas; just make sure you put
Him back in it wherever you go.
Prioritize – spend
your time on what is important to you and your family this Christmas season.
Make a plan and include in that plan time to slow down and enjoy life.
If you think about, Jesus did all of these 5 things during
his time here on earth. Jesus was always talking to others; he was always aware
of his surrounding and what was going in with people; his plan was simple; he
was intentional in doing the work his Father and not what others wanted or
expected him to do; and he knew what his #1 priority was, dying on the cross
for our sins that we may be forgiven and made holy.
I hope and pray you use these 5 ways to slow down and apply
this Christmas season and see what a huge difference it makes in your life.
Don’t stop there! Start the New Year out by continuing to slow down and live
life as God would have you to.
