Monday March 14, 2011

I’m sitting in the Phoenix international Airport with Carter as we wait for his flight to Virginia Beach to visit his sisters and his nephew. Just think about what has happened in my lifetime. I would never have even thought of flying across country when I was his age. But today it’s instant travel that can get us completely across the country in as little as 5 hours. He will arrive in Norfolk this afternoon and will not have experienced any of the beauty of our great land between Arizona and Virginia.

It kind of reminds me of how we often do relationships. We have a destination in mind and want to get there as soon as possible, but we often take for granted and don’t even see the beautiful characteristics and qualities that are there for the viewing in our children, our spouse, a friend or even God. Our instant society where we can get instant food, instant cash, instant on demand movies, search a word without even opening a dictionary has caused us to zoom thru life and forget to smell the flowers (we can get instant flowers too). I’m not saying that all the new technology is bad for us. It isn’t. I am saying that it might be a good idea to get off the freeway of life and get on some back roads to really see people. Slowing down in the little towns and stopping at a local grocery store or talking to a teller can begin to allow us to become more appreciative for the things we have and for the relationships that God has given us.

This week with Carter gone and the house being totally to myself, I have the opportunity to slow down on this journey of life. I am taking the challenge to be still and tune in to what the Lord has to say to me. Sometimes the journey is a lonely and quiet one but one that can cause us to become more thankful for what we do have.