The Slow Ride Home

 So many people live fast paced lives. There are schedules to keep, places to be, people to see, to do lists to check off, and important things to accomplish. Our calendars fill up. We no more than get one day completed when we have to wake up to another jam-packed day. It can be a little overwhelming. 

There are little margins built in for mediation, reflection, and contemplation of the things of God. We are constantly in a rush. If you have young children, things only escalate getting to all their school functions and extracurricular activities. Things never seem to slow down. Maybe once a person retires. I have heard many retirees say they are just as busy now as they were when they worked. 

I had a trip to watch Turner compete in his first ever decathlon. He has worked very hard to get to this point. He ran all summer in the hottest part of the days. He trained to compete in field events he had no experience in. It brought me great joy to watch him give him best in ten different events. He was the youngest person competing by far. One of the contestants was 35 years old. The older guys encouraged Turner. When it was all over, Turner commented he had never been more exhausted in his entire life. 

When it came time to go home, I experienced something I never had before. I woke up the next day to make the drive back home. Brenda was at a women's conference, so I had no reason to rush. I decided to take my time going home. I intentionally set the cruise control on my car 10 mph slower than the speed limit allowed. I drove in silence for a while. At other times I listened to the radio. I was even fortunate enough to not have heavy traffic around me as I snaked the back roads back to Parker County. 

I felt peace. I thought and prayed about many things. I took my sweet time. When traffic did pull up behind me on a few occasions I pulled over on the shoulder to let them pass. I enjoyed the beauty of God's creation. I saw creeks, ranches, little towns, places I had never driven before, cattle, horses, and blue skies. 

I have travelled all over the state of Texas to watch my sons play football or run track. I have travelled all over the United States and to three countries to preach. I am no stranger to road trips. Each one my ultimate goal is to arrive at my intended destination as quickly as possible. Not that time. I took a slow ride home. I enjoyed every single hour and minute of that slow trip. I was a little sad when I rolled under our car port. 

I cannot explain it. It did my soul good to not be in a rush. Something about slowing down soothed the soul. I found myself at greater peace. I watched as others zoomed past breaking the speed limit. They were in a hurry to get somewhere to do something. I took my sweet time. I enjoyed my time with God rolling down the backroads. 

I thought about so many of the early pioneers and preachers I've read about. They were forced to live at a slower pace. They travelled by horse or horse drawn wagon. They had time to think. Time to meditate on the things of God. I hear farmers tell me they do that on their tractors when they work the fields. That is not true for a lot of us. Just yesterday morning, I spent the first half of my day on the phone and answering emails. Finding time to pray and enjoy God has to be built into our lives. That is hard to do when your calendar is plum full of appointments to keep. When do we make appointments with God. 

I recently talked to a young man who works a lot of Sundays. I asked him when the last time he had been able to attend a worship service. It had been months. I then asked if he had quiet times. He confessed that he did not. I told him that was not good. It was not good for his soul. In fact, it is dangerous. He is susceptible to temptations. His soul is shriveling. I think he got the message. 

Each of us needs to slow down and take extended time with God. I can almost hear some of you shouting through the computer, "Are you kidding me. I am burning the candle at both ends and you are asking me to put another thing on my plate. How do I have time in my already crowded schedule to take extended time with God?" 

Time alone with God is the most important thing you can do on any given and every given day. Everything else is secondary. Taking time to slow down is therapeutic to the soul. It relieves stress. It resets our priorities. It recalibrates our mental health. It forces us to get out of the rat race for a season. 

I am looking ahead to this week. Today is already filled with commitments taking me well into the night. Tomorrow has several things on the calendar. The same for Thursday. Friday is still a little up in the air. Back to reality. Long will I treasure that slow ride home. I need to build more days into my life like that. Maybe you do too.