Slow Down, Enjoy Life!

My usual routine on any given morning during the week is to accompany my 9 year old son to school. As I walked along 56th street back towards home, my mind was an endless stream of the virtual to do list: translating 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 for Biblical Greek, working on the next set of Pentateuch questions for cohort group, refraining from burning my Lathrop book for Worship, reading and rereading my CPE application-and seeing a tall cup of Joe in my future just to get me through the day. On top of that, the old familiar chill of a Chicago autumn encased my spirit and pushed my very being to move faster, hurried.

From my blind side, a U of C grad student rushed past me as he was, I imagined attempting to get to Regenstein Library for a prime spot. In front of us were two construction workers, lingering and laid-back in their stride as they chatted. The grad student almost slammed into one of them, apologetic with a half smile as he continued on. The construction worker laughed and retorted to him "Hey, slow down! Enjoy Life!"

Even as I laughed softly, I was conscious of slowing my own pace and closing that door within myself where the stiff neck person named Worrywort continually harasses the rest of me about what we have to do; this time last year, Worrywort succeeded in landing me in the hospital with blood pressure that was dangerously extreme as well as an ugly migraine.

And as I reflected on this past weekend, where I did stop and smell the roses as I celebrated with my fellow Seminarian brothers and sisters my birthday with dancing, libations and food I realized, that our Creator did not put us on this planet to be drones and dull! "Therefore I tell you do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink..."

Make a joyful noise! Celebrate the Creation He has given us! Celebrate Life!