First one...so I'll talk about...

Cars.

Yes, Cars.

I've been watching a lot of movies lately, well actually I've been sleeping through alot of movies lately...one of which was the Pixar film Cars. If you don't know the theme behind the movie I will try to summarize it for you. A really fast car named Lightning McQueen ties 2 other cars in the championship race and has to go to California to race in a tie-breaker. On the way he falls out of the back of his truck and gets lost in a town called Radiator Springs. Radiator Spring is unique because it lies on the old highway known as Route 66. For years the town flourished and had lots of cool unique shops and visitors were abundant. Sometime closer to the future, a major highway was built near Radiator Springs that bi-passed the entire town completely. Eventually people also began bi-passing the town, never giving it a look, and the town basically died; the only exception being a few faithful residents. Lightning McQueen finds his way into this town, ends up ripping up the road and is forced to fix it. Long story short, over the next week as he fixes the road he learns about how "life in the fast lane" isn't as great as he originally thought based on his new discovery of a different lifestyle. Out of this small town experience he receives a new mentor, a new best friend, and a new lover.

Why am I talking about Cars?

I can't help but put myself in this situation (not as a car, but a person...you know what I mean). The world is constantly telling me to fill my schedule, be productive, do this, do that...do everything that you can to attain happiness in life. I feel like anymore lifestyles like that will do anything but bring fulfillment. I feel like as people we have forgotten about small things in life that used to matter. We don't care about investing time in our families; we don't care about investing time in good relationships; we don't even care about learning about our Creator that loves us...we couldn't care less because either (1) we don't want to know him or (2) we feel like we know enough about Him.

I've done this myself...

I feel like anymore all I want is what God has promised to give to me, and I want it by Him and in His timing. I don't need to live up to people's expectations or what people think will give me a fulfilling life. God has promised his people great things and unless we can learn to put him first and actually make him our "God" then we're never going to experience it. This means I have to let go of pride, I have to let go of "me" altogether. I need to let God be in control. Living a life that everybody else has or desires will do nothing but by-pass me by some of the most incredible things God has created on this planet for me to experience.


Jesus said, "Seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well."

I'm slowing down to get what has been promised to me.