“Let it Idle!”
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-Thanksgiving
is now over and we are headed straight toward Christmas. Every year, time
seems to pick up pace about right now and we’re all left shaking our heads,
and wondering why we do this to ourselves. By January, we’ve had enough
gifts, family, friends, parties, and food to last…well…till next Christmas
at least.
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Every
Christmas, some new contraption comes out that makes our
“just have to have” list. It is always some new product
everyone desires. Many of the new items promise to make
your life easier and more comfortable or convenient.
A few years
back, one advertisement caught my wife’s eye. It was for
a device that would remotely start your cold car from
within your home and allow it to warm up for you. Living
in a cold weather climate, I could see the value of such
equipment. The ad simply said, “Let it idle!” She wanted
it and I bought it.
As I remember back, I love that ad, “Let it idle!”
I’ve already
been stressed and Christmas hasn’t even kicked into gear
yet for me. My wife and I are already talking about
Christmas travels and parties and family gatherings we
need to work out and just thinking about it already has
me uptight.
I wonder how I can “let it idle” this Christmas. How can
I make sure I give enough of myself to love on family
and still give some time to myself so I refresh my
spirit? Can I do both? If I can, it will enhance my
holiday time.
Jesus only
had three years to perform His ministry and yet, if you
were to add up all the times He retreated to the
mountains or went fishing or spent time with friends,
you would soon discover that over nine months of His
precious ministry was time off. I have to believe that
if Jesus needed time down then we are all designed to
need time down.
“Let it idle” is a good reminder to slow down a little.
Sit down…take a deep breath…and be present with people
around me. Tune in to others!
Imagine; you
are at a grocery store and see an elderly gentleman
struggling to push a large cart through the newly fallen
snow. Could God have just a minute of your time? Could
you take a moment of your day and just let it idle by
walking a man to his car?
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Imagine you are driving
down a road and notice a family with a flat tire by the side of the
road. Could you slow down your busy day and give a hand?
Imagine your adult niece is having a difficult time in her life and
she starts sharing with you right as you are ready for the afternoon
Christmas nap. (Really…right now you want to talk?) Could you “let
it idle” long enough to listen to her, give a little comfort, a
little guidance, a little attention?
Don’t think for a moment
that things like this are not happening around you. They are! All
three of these stories happened to me last Christmas and I’m sorry
to say I only responded well to two of them. (After all, it was nap
time.)
Listen to me: slow it
down a little. Take in the moments of family and friends. As it
reads in a family member’s home, “Live, Laugh, and Love!”
And I’d add this
Christmas, “Let it idle!”
[Ron Otto, Lincoln Christian Church] |