Going No Where Fast?

I was driving to work the other day, thinking about how fast paced our lives are and the picture that came to my mind was of a mouse in one of those wheels. Have you ever seen a mouse or gerbil just walk on one of those? I haven't. They always seem to be going 90 miles a minute! We can look at that and say, "Well at least it's good exercise. At least it's not just lying there waiting to die." But is that so good for us?

I was praying this morning about our world; how we are always going and always doing. Even our kids' schedules are so full! I was listening to a friend talk about rushing home from work, rushing to the grocery store, to get the kids, to make dinner, and even then not eating until 8pm. And then what? Rush through dinner, to get homework done, hurry up and throw a load of laundry in and clean up the kitchen and before you know it, "Oh goodness! It's already 11pm!" (or midnight) Better hurry up and get to bed so you can get up... and start it all over again.

Have we become so busy that we don't stop long enough to have a nice sit down dinner, as a family, (with actual talking) where cell phones and texting are not allowed? Can we slow down enough to see that our neighbor needs something? Are we aware of our surroundings enough to recognize the pain in someone's eyes and to love on them?

A very dear friend of mine had lost her husband to a heart attack years ago. I will never forget what she said at his funeral. She said, "It would take us so long to get anywhere because if he saw someone on the side of the road he HAD to stop and help them." Do we do that? Or do we simply drive by and think someone else with more time will stop to help? Is getting your workout done that morning that important? Can your hair survive one more day without being colored or cut? How about this? Can you be late for church where you can learn more "about" Jesus' love, to stop and actually "show" someone Jesus' love?

Let's not be like mice that jump on the wheel every day and get nowhere fast! It makes me tired just thinking about it!

Father God, open our eyes to see all that we usually miss because we are so busy. Help us to walk at Your pace Lord God so that we are aware of the opportunities that You place before us and the people that You put in our path. I pray we stop being a society of "gotta haves" and "I deserves" and "me, me, me." Your glory surrounds us every day Lord God...help us to see it so that we can stand in awe of who You are and desire to show others, who do not know You, who You really are! I pray it in the mighty name of Your precious Son, Jesus Christ. Amen and Amen!