It has always been my dream to drive the coast from Morrow Bay, California to Seattle, Washington over a two to three week period. This dream took root when I was in high school, while sitting in a car on the open road with my closet friends. Starting my junior year, two of my closest friends and I would take off from somewhere in Southern California and just drive up the coast for a long weekend, surfing were we decided the surf was good enough to stop. While we spent most of our time driving from surf spot to surf spot, these are still some of the most pleasurable times in my life to this day. I have thought about why these trips where so enjoyable many times, and over the last three weeks, ten years after these trips started, I came to a conclusion.
Three weeks ago, while sitting in my office before submitting myself to the craziness that comes with Junior High Youth Group, I was reading one of my new favorite magazines, Good. The quarterly winter 2010 issue is entitled “The Slow Issue.” Throughout the issue writers from all walks of life discuss the beauty of slowing down. It was this issue that first inspired my idea to slow down and as I read through the magazine over the last three weeks, the piece that stood out the most in this issue was an art piece. In left center of the page, multiple images of the coast of California were displayed, with a small paragraph below stating,
There was a time, not that long ago, when traveling through the United States meant pleasant days on the blue highways, smelling the air, seeing the scenery, and stopping at the nearest watering hole for a freshly cooked meal of the local specialty. Then came the interstate highways, and many-horse powered engines, and an ever-increasing speed limit. Now, we get places much faster. But what if you took a slowed-down version of a trip, at a pleasant crusing speed, with rest stops that offered more choice than simply McDonald’s or Burger King? We took just such a journey by meandering north from Los Angels along the coast. What we found can be seen over the next few pages. (Good Magazine The Slow Issue, Winter 2010, pg. 54)
As I started to look over the many pictures that littered the page, my mind drifted back to my high school years on “Highway 1”. I realized the reason why I enjoyed that time in my life so much was because during those long weekends I allowed myself to hang out, relax, and just slow down.
Over the last three months, previous to taking three weeks to slow down, I had been held victim to running through life from here to there, from one thing to the next, not allowing myself the time to slow down. I thought to myself, how did I get here? I knew all of the right answers and the way life was suppose to be lived, but putting my knowledge into practice was another issue. After much reflection I realized that I thought I could get away with running at full speed. Over the last three weeks I have realized that I was wrong. Even Jesus, who was God on earth, took time to slow down, and I a mere man was in ministry running like I was in some marathon and I am pretty sure that there was no way this is what Paul meant when he talked about running a good race in Galatians 5:7.
After this realization I sought to try to discover ways I could apply my three-week journey into a realistic lifestyle of slowing down. Over the last three weeks, while I did not post much I sought to help a little by posting some “food-for-thought.” I encouraged you to carve out a specific time to slow down, but no I urge you to make slowing down a normal part of your life. When the art of slowing down permeates throughout your entire life, the time you spend doing mundane things, like work, become more fruitful.
After much thought I want to over you some ideas in how you might try to make slowing down a normal part of your life.
Eliminate something: Every person has stuff in his/her life that needs to be stepped away from; even if just for a short time. It is so much easier to add stuff to our life before we cut things from our life. Never add something without first cutting something first. Even if yo are not adding something new to your life, it might be helpful to think about what God might be calling you to stop to make more time for your own spirituality. You might ask yourself what is causing you more hurt than it is helping you, or if at this point in your life you might want to strongly consider taking a temporary or indefinite sabbatical from one commitment.
Unplug yourself from your gadgets: While blackberries and iphones can be a blessing, they can also be one of the biggest curses in life. Try to block out a significant amount of time where you turn off your phone, do not check your email, are not on your favorite social networking site, or do not watch television, and just be. Sometimes slowing down means not allowing your self to become slaves to your own gadgets.
Make a meal with loved ones, and then share the meal together: It is no secret that fast-food is not good for you. One, because of what makes up the usual fast-food meal, and two, because when someone grabs fast-food, they are usually rushing from one place to the next with little time to spare. Taking the time to make a meal with loved ones not only slows you down, but it allows you to spend quality time with people who love and refresh you.
Stay in bed, or at least at home, all day: At times slowing down means doing nothing, and I mean nothing. Well okay, eating, going to the bathroom, and getting up to grab the impromptu board game or deck of cards is okay. If you are married, this is even amazing to do with your loved one or family.
Clean up your living space, and rearrange if needed: While this might feel like work, cleaning can also be therapeutic for some out there. In fact, having a clean space can help reduce your anxiety, and rearranging some things might make your life easier.
Go outside and do something active: It is a fact that the sun’s rays provide much-needed vitamins to our bodies. On top of that, being active helps to reduce stress levels and makes you a lot healthier holistically.
Create a place where you feel you can escape: Everyone needs time by themselves to just be alone with their thoughts and their God, even if you are married. Find a place where you can be alone and relax in order to recover from what life brings your way.
Read a book: Turn off everything—your phone, television, computer, or whatever else might distract you—and pick up a book and get lost for a little while.
Drive until you get lost: As I stated in the being of the blog, getting away can be one of the best ways to slow down. Not only are you getting away from everything that usually causes you to run at marathon speed, but it also helps you to mentally detach from reality. (Just make sure you have enough gas before you head out and maybe a GPS.)
Sit in silence with God: Sitting in silence allows your mind to process information. In the quiet of your own minds, you might even begin to recognize some things about yourself that you never knew before. Before beginning a time of silence, ask God to guide your mind. You could also pick out a passage of scripture and spend some time meditating. (Remember this is not prayer time, this is silent time)
Pray: Even as someone in full-time ministry, I have noticed that my prayer life sometimes becomes too quick and to the point with God. Try to view your time in prayer with God more like spending time with a loved one or mentor, this might help you to see prayer as a conversation between you and your creator, rather than just voicing a list of requests to a far-off being.
Spend some time in God’s word: Everyone spends time in scripture differently; some read, study, and journal for their quiet times, while others just read and pray. To be honest, I am not sure whether one is more spiritually beneficial than another one is. Find out how you best receive from God’s word and spend some extra time doing whatever that might be. Maybe that means reading a little more? Maybe that means doing a little more reflection? Maybe it means journaling a little longer? Or just maybe that means reading a little less, and focusing your reading on just one verse? Whatever it means for you to be in scripture, just be.
To end, I truly hope you spend some time and slow down this week, the next, and for the rest of your life.
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