At the Speed of Life...

It never ceases to amaze me how fast time seems to slip by at an increasing pace. With each passing year, time appears to move faster than the year before. If only someone had warned me when I was younger.

I spent so much time living just beyond the moment I was in. Biding my time, just existing, until the next great moment arrived. You know, that moment, event, or happening that would, of course, be the best thing ever! That's how I would build it up in my mind. And the closer I would get to the event, the bigger and better it would become in my head.

This would lead to such depression, because no matter what it was, that I was waiting for, it always went by much too fast and never quite lived up to my grand expectations. In fact, on many occasions, the "looking forward" was more enjoyable than the event itself. More and more I found myself increasingly disappointed.

That was until Tara and I had our very first date, 19 years ago today. A day that I had been looking forward to and anticipating about for the better part of the prior month. I can remember that day like it was yesterday. It's hard to imagine there was a time when I was nervous about being with Tara. The awkward first days together. I had been to her house many times over the previous several months. I had had conversations with her parents on several occasions. I had been out with Tara with others from the youth group.

But, this was different. This was a date. As I walked to her front door, I had to walk past the garage. This particular day, Tara's dad was working in the garage. Not because he had stuff to do, but that he was going to be the first line of defense between me and his daughter. I had never, on any occasion, felt intimidated by her dad, until this day. I remember the stern look he gave me as he firmly shook my hand and wouldn't let go as he said "There are three thing you'll know if you're going to take out my daughter.

"First, you'll treat her like a lady.
Two, you will have her in on time.
And, three, if your car leaks oil, get it off my drive!"  Although my car didn't leak oil, I wasn't taking any chances, I didn't park on the drive for a long time thereafter.

That first date was truly one of the first days in my entire life that lived up to the expectations I had created in my mind.  And, I can honestly tell you that with each passing year, it only gets better and better.  I'm more in love with her today than I've ever been and if given a thousand lifetimes, wouldn't have enough time to properly thank God for her.

Sure, Like many of us, I still find myself from time to time living outside the moment I'm in. But, during those times, God will use Tara or my kids to gently remind me to live "in the moment."

Joe Buchanan serves New Life Media as Network Music Director.www.newlifemedia.org(WBGL,WIBI & WCIC)

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