In Chapter 4 of One Thousand Gifts, author Ann Voskamp rightly observes that we live in a world addicted to speed. Describing herself as one who blurs the moments “into one holy smear”, Ann speaks for all of us. As we wildly rush to get things done yesterday, our hurry creates hurt and empties our souls.
Although time seems to march on unabated, Ann suggests a way for us to slow its pace:
“Time is a relentless river. It rages on, a respecter of no one. And this, this is the only way to slow time. When I fully enter time’s swift current, enter into the current moment with the weight of all my attention, I slow the torrent with the weight of me all here. . . . I only live the full life when I live fully in the moment. And when I’m always looking for the next glimpse of glory, I slow and enter.”
In essence, giving thanks for 1000 things is an invitation to slow time down with the weight of our full attention to glimpses of God’s glory, to be fully engaged wherever we are.
Psalm 31:15- “My times are in your hands.”
