Ahhh! I’ve Got to Get Out of Here!

(Photo credit: timmybrister.com)

(Note: This was written almost a week ago.  I was in such a rush to get to the airport that I did not have time to post to the blog.)

Do you know the worst part of travel?  Could it be the checklist?  Have I packed everything?  Clean underwear (as opposed to dirty?) … check.  Passport (thanks to last minute reminder by Mrs. Sweetie) … check.  Medications and cpap machine (didn’t have to worry about those when I was young) … check.  Ok, there’s the packing part!

Have I set my email auto response so people will have some patience with me when I don’t immediately answer (good luck with the patience part) … check.  Have I done my weekly email newsletter so people know what is going on in our ministry this week … check.  Have I written my newspaper column/blog so I don’t have to do it from my phone while traveling (done before, but not the easiest thing in the world) … check … ing.

The checklist is not the worst part.  I am going to forget something.  And it’s going to be ok.  No, the worst part is glancing at the clock while I am trying to get everything finished so I can get out the door to the airport.  Ahhh!  I need to be gone in an hour and I’m still typing!

I talk to people all the time about trying to eliminate busyness and hurry from their lives.  I try really hard to actually DO what I SAY, but it is a constant struggle.  I wrote a book a few years ago about cultural indicators.  It is out of print now, but I am working on a revision to be released next year. (You can be sure that I will let you know when it re-releases).  One of the cultural indicators I mentioned was the Adrenaline Culture.  Our lives tend to move at such a pace that we have an almost constant flow of adrenaline as we try to keep up with the pressure.  Ahhh! 

When we slow down enough that the adrenaline slows, something doesn’t feel right. We miss the rush.  We wonder what we have forgotten. Surely life can’t operate at a leisurely pace. Dude!  We are junkies!  (And I am down to 55 minutes!). 

Although I can’t do much to fix this morning’s pace, I’m going to keep working on it and keep talking about it and keep on trying to—in the words of one of the greatest quotes I have heard in years—“ruthlessly eliminate hurry” from my life.

Jesus said, “Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? … And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?” (Matthew 6:26,30, - New Living Translation).

Our lives matter so much to God that he wants our Ahhh! to have the tone of contentment rather than panic. I’m headed there.  Are you?

Question:  What can you do to "ruthlessly eliminate hurry" from your life?

Leave a comment below.  I'd love to hear your perspective.