Living Slow

The importance of lingering rather than hurrying

The other night we had a pajama party sleepover with the grandkids. The big decision was what movie to watch. I suggested a Christmas movie I had not seen. “No!” they all yelled at once. Apparently their dad forbids Christmas movies, or anything Christmas, before Thanksgiving has come and gone. I love my son-in-law for that!

Did you know that Christmas Creep is a real thing? The phrase has been defined by Merriam Webster as “the gradual lengthening of the Christmas season with earlier displays of Christmas decorations and music, along with earlier holiday sales, advertising and other displays of consumerism.”

Retailers depend largely on the holiday buying for a huge percentage of their yearly profit. I get that. But please, stop hurrying us!

I recently looked for some fall decorations for my Thanksgiving table next week. None. Gone off the shelves. I guess I should have done my fall shopping in August.

How did we get to be such hurry-ers? Folks are even dealing with a behavior pattern cardiologists are calling “hurry sickness” (characterized by chronic rushing and anxiousness and a persistent sense of urgency). We rush through life trying to have it all, get ahead and constantly looking for what will make us happiest.

I believe God created us for something better, something slower, something much more meaningful. In the book of Luke (Chap 10:38-42) we read the story about Mary and Martha, two sisters with different attitudes about what is more important. When they invited Jesus into their home, Martha was all about the hospitality, perhaps cooking the meal and cleaning the kitchen. Her sister, Mary, sat at the feet of their guest and listened to all that He said. Apparently Martha was hurt that Mary wasn’t helping her. She complained to Jesus. Wow! I guess they had that kind of relationship. But Jesus wisely told her to slow down and calm down (my words). He said Mary was doing the better thing.

I don’t believe God created us for hurry. Hurry is our enemy. Hurry steals excellence, steals our best, steals our enjoyment. I believe life is meant to be lived slow. Jesus lived slow. He had to walk everywhere He went. On the way He ministered to those He encountered. He stopped to heal the blind man, to speak to the woman who touched His garment, to pray alone.

I like this story about a small child that had just turned five years old. A friend asked the child when he would be six. “When I’m finished being five!” the child informed his friend. It often seems that today’s world wants to grow our children up before their time. Growing up takes time. Every year is essential for fullness of growth. I remember advising our children not to hurry to the next thing in life. I wanted them to enjoy being just where they were, just the age they were, to get all the meaning out of the present time and situation before moving on. Abraham Lincoln once said, “Nothing valuable can be lost by taking time.” Most every day we practiced a quiet time – each child in their own room just being alone and quiet. Being alone and quiet gives us opportunities to reflect, gain perspective and make ourselves available to God.

A favorite worship song includes this line – “Let me linger, let me stay, in your presence every day, Till your likeness be seen in me.” Perhaps we have lost the wonder of lingering (to be slow in parting or quitting something), hugging a little longer, holding the baby a little longer, watching the children play a little longer, waiting silently before the Lord a little longer. When we keep our focus on the end of a thing, the destination we are headed for, the next thing we are going to do, we just might miss out on each significant moment along the way.

Living slow gives us a better chance to experience all that God has for us. Living slow will bring us more peace and more contentment and more pleasure. Living slow will help us to see the time between happenings just as important and meaningful as the next happening.

I know, I know. I am just like you. I have Thanksgiving company coming. I have a lot of Christmas shopping to do. It is November 19, for heaven’s sake! I am tired of the hurry and rush. This year I am determined to relax and enjoy it all – slowly.

How about you? Take a deep breath and look around. Make a mental note of all that God has given you to delight in. The holidays will come and go. I hope your best memories will be those moments when you stopped to linger over the things and people you love so much.