Easy Speed Racer
Tonight we planned on having a neighbor over for dinner so we went nuts cleaning the house. Christina scrubbed every inch of the kitchen, top to bottom, and I tackled the living room and guest bathroom. Our dinner plans didn't work out, but after we ate we stood at the sink together washing the dinner dishes and I thought to myself, "It would be great to keep the house clean like this all the time, but it's funny how fast it goes from spotless to disastrous."
That got me thinking about all the times I've thought things happened quickly. Here's what I came up with:
1. In my last post I wrote about a scary moment on a whitewater rafting trip. Our guide kept telling us how amazed he was at how fast things can go wrong on the river.
2. I erased April on my wall calendar at my office and filled in the month of May. I thought, "When did it become May? For that matter, when did we live through February, March and April? Those months sure went fast."
3. We think Titus said his first word. He waves and says, "Ay!" We interpret it as "Hi." When we officially declared it his first word, I said, "He's not supposed to be talking yet. That happened too fast."
4. Someone recently asked how long I've lived in Virginia and I told them, "Almost six years." I then immediately thought, "Six years?!?!?!? Jeez Louise that went by fast!"
5. And, of course, our boys grow up SOOOOOO fast. Levi is doing something everyday that makes him seem so much more like a grown boy. Titus, as I said, is starting to form words with thoughts and is starting to experience so much of the world.
With all the complaining we do about things naturally happening so fast, it's amazing we don't strive for a slower lifestyle. We're always hurrying, always rushing out the door, always telling Levi to "hurry bud, we're running late!" We've convinced ourselves that stillness is the equivalent of laziness and silence means you're not contributing to what's going on around you.
Jesus had a different opinion on those subjects. Stillness away from the busy crowd meant you were spending your time wisely; silence meant you understood who controlled your life (even for the Son of God!!!). I'll confess I have to consciously force myself to slow my mind during the day to spend time with God, time with His Word, and time laying my praise and concerns at his feet. With each year it seems to come less and less naturally. In coming out of that stillness and silence, though, I find renewal and a new focus on my day.
If only 3-year-olds could grasp the concept of stillness. It might make it an easier practice for many of us :).
That got me thinking about all the times I've thought things happened quickly. Here's what I came up with:
1. In my last post I wrote about a scary moment on a whitewater rafting trip. Our guide kept telling us how amazed he was at how fast things can go wrong on the river.
2. I erased April on my wall calendar at my office and filled in the month of May. I thought, "When did it become May? For that matter, when did we live through February, March and April? Those months sure went fast."
3. We think Titus said his first word. He waves and says, "Ay!" We interpret it as "Hi." When we officially declared it his first word, I said, "He's not supposed to be talking yet. That happened too fast."
4. Someone recently asked how long I've lived in Virginia and I told them, "Almost six years." I then immediately thought, "Six years?!?!?!? Jeez Louise that went by fast!"
5. And, of course, our boys grow up SOOOOOO fast. Levi is doing something everyday that makes him seem so much more like a grown boy. Titus, as I said, is starting to form words with thoughts and is starting to experience so much of the world.
With all the complaining we do about things naturally happening so fast, it's amazing we don't strive for a slower lifestyle. We're always hurrying, always rushing out the door, always telling Levi to "hurry bud, we're running late!" We've convinced ourselves that stillness is the equivalent of laziness and silence means you're not contributing to what's going on around you.
Jesus had a different opinion on those subjects. Stillness away from the busy crowd meant you were spending your time wisely; silence meant you understood who controlled your life (even for the Son of God!!!). I'll confess I have to consciously force myself to slow my mind during the day to spend time with God, time with His Word, and time laying my praise and concerns at his feet. With each year it seems to come less and less naturally. In coming out of that stillness and silence, though, I find renewal and a new focus on my day.
If only 3-year-olds could grasp the concept of stillness. It might make it an easier practice for many of us :).
posted by CoryJones at 7:28 PM
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