The K Mills

I write it. You read it. That's it.

Attention Speedfreaks.

I’ve noticed a strange phenomenon in my life the past few months. It wasn’t obvious at first, but the more I’ve tested it, the more I see a pattern emerging. A clear pattern. A disturbing pattern. An oddly… comforting… pattern.

God is using my own words against me.

You see, at any given moment in my day I’m often hit with some kind of insight. It might be profound, it might be mundane, but if I feel it strongly enough I don’t hesitate to slap it up on Twitter or Facebook and let those in my sphere know. I feel it. I think it. I write it. BOOM! It’s out there.

For instance, last week I was listening to BT‘s “Somnambulist (Simply Being Loved),” and some of the lyrics were about how people are always so rushed that they constantly feel there’s not enough time, not enough love. I was moved by what I heard (how can you NOT be moved by something BT orchestrates?!? Just LISTEN to it! See the widget at the end of this post). (Fun Fact: this song is in the 2003 Guinness Book of World Records for the largest number of vocal edits at 6,178).

A few minutes later I wrote something along the lines of:

“When will we realize that there’s more than enough to go around? Love, time, money. It’s all a gift from Him.”

Deep, profound thoughts, right? Well, to some at least. To others, they’ll read it and say “Pfiffle” or “Balderdash” or some equally outdated exclamation. They’ll immediately try to discount what I’m saying. Based on their own experiences and disappointments in life, their mind will immediately conjure up why this ISN’T true.

I’m one of those people. Or at least I was last night.

This is how it works: I typically write something semi-deep or share whatever sagely insight I can muster up at the time, and not a day or two later, I’m on the other end of the spectrum. The pendulum completes its swing, and suddenly I’M the one who needs to hear the words. That’s what God does. He somehow gives me the very insight or direction I’ll need THROUGH me. AHEAD of time. (Yes, it is just as bizarre and sci-fi as it sounds.)

Last night? Well, last night I was quietly freaking out (as is my way). I felt like I have so much to do. Work on the Mills Creative Minds investor paperwork. Work on the book proposal & query letter. Work on the latest Mills newsletter. Work. Work. Work. And so little time! I lamented about the fact that I “just don’t have enough time!”

And Kim, my lovely and oh-so-wise wife of 16 years, quietly reminded me of my very own words just a few days ago. And I scoffed. Loudly. I scoffed at my own words and advice. I felt like calling the writer an idiot, because he OBVIOUSLY doesn’t know what he’s talking about or the circumstances surrounding MY life.

But I was wrong. (And, in God’s twisted and timely way, I was right.)

I DO have enough time. The squeezing I feel? That chest-crushing weight that’s bearing down on me like an 800-pound gorilla? It’s of my own making. I’ve created these self-imposed deadlines, to achieve this doohicky by this certain day, or finish working on that widget by this specific time. It’s all in my head. All of it.

So what if I don’t finish everything at the exact time I planned to? What, exactly is the end result? If I choose to freak out, then I get to turn the screw a little tighter and bear the weight of a false failure. If I choose to accept the shortcoming and adapt to the new timeline, then I pick myself back up and dig in the next day.

Yeah. I think I’m gonna go for door number two, please.

But here’s the thing: we don’t typically take the time to choose. Most of the time we spin through our lives at a hectic pace, stopping only long enough to pee and fill up on caffeine. If we took the time to slow down, to honestly Slow Down and look at our lives and the pressures bearing down on us, we’ll find a lot of them are in our heads. Figments of our over-active imaginations. Illusions.

So take these words to heart. Kevin. (Yes, I’m talking to YOU, Kevin, ’cause if history is any indicator, you’re gonna need to hear this in about 48 hours.) Slow down. Take a deep breath, clear your head and SLOW DOWN. Trust me, it will be better for everyone this way. You, your family, your friends, your dog. Everyone.

It’s a choice. My prayer today is that anyone reading this will choose the right one. Let this scripture below sink deeply into your spirit, because the words are powerful, and they can change the very course of your life if you let them.

“Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.” – Ecclesiastes 4:6

- Kevin

P.S. I also highly recommend Richard Carlson’s “Slowing Down To The Speed of Life: How to Create a More Peaceful, Simpler Life from the Inside Out.” Some of it’s a little touchy-feely, but the majority is spot-on in getting you to kill off your speed tendencies.

  • Sally Hopkins says:

    Yes, it is easy to over do it and set really high goals for yourself. When I get overwhelmed I say a prayer before bed and…just sleep on it. The next day is fresh and things look much better. It works for me!

    June 2, 2009 at 10:09 pm
  • Kelley says:

    Another really good book along those lines is “Making Room for Life” by Randy Frazee.

    July 8, 2009 at 3:20 pm

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Switch to our mobile site