Slow Down and Look Around

The road construction crews have tried everything through the years to get people to slow down and pay attention when they are going through work zones.  The road construction on the Turner Turnpike has been one of the worst areas I’ve ever traveled through.  It is narrow in places and has tons of truck traffic.  The speed limit in places if 55 and it is not unusual to have people drive past me that are going over 70.  I see why if you’re trying to keep your employees safe you resort to all kinds of signs like “Beware, Walking Dead” or “Slow Down, My Daddy Works Here”.  My favorite is “$10,000 fine for hitting workers”.  Surely people really don’t value $10,000 more than someone’s life.  It is amazing the things that distract us from paying attention to the danger that is around us.  Smart phones have made it that much worse.  We need to slow down and look around.

We need to slow down and look around in every area of our life.  Our culture has become so busy that we run from place to place with our head down and a goal we are accomplishing.  Sitting and relaxing is not something we value in our society.  Who has time to sit on the porch and drink a cup of hot chocolate?  Who has time to stop and visit with friends that we randomly bump into while out shopping?  December seems to make it that much worse.  We pack so much into our crazy lives that the best we can hope for is surviving, much less actually enjoying it.

This curse affects us at church.  We hope that the events we have scheduled in our church for December are times for us to slow down and look around.  Our LifeGroup Christmas parties have that very goal in mind.  It is a great place to be with your friends and just enjoy being in each other’s company.  Every Sunday morning is designed to be a time for you to lay aside the burdens of life and just fellowship with your Savior.  Our candle light service on December 23 will be another laid back time for us to sing, fellowship and just stop.  We need each other.  We need friends.  In the midst of this busy time of year be sure to slow down and look around.  You may be missing something.

Comments

Wannandonly said…
Sometimes, I wonder why we've stopped writing letters. We sponsor two boys through compassion international and I love getting to write to them and getting their letters in return. Granted it's done online, but writing gives me time to stop, think, and wonder!
That’s a good point. You don’t have to think as much to write one thought at a time for Facebook/Twitter.

Popular Posts