Life has slowed down for me the past few days. That in itself is not a bad thing. The catalyst—Blizzard Number Two! I look outside my window watching the snow just keep piling up. For the past several days, with one small exception, the snow has confined me to the house.

Finally spring is near and after shoveling more snow this winter than I can ever remember, I am determined to turn my thoughts to warmer weather. The recent completion of the Winter Olympic Games however caused me to reflect on the sacrifice and training of the Olympians. The dedication, discipline and determination of the Olympic athlete commands great admiration. Those who compete in the Olympics seek the highest honor, the greatest glory.

I am pretty efficient most of the time juggling the complexity of what is my life. Most people who know me well tell me that I am multi-talented and very gifted in numerous disciplines. I recognize that. Often, though, I am my own worst enemy when it comes to prioritizing things. Part of my nature is to do it all and do it all with excellence. But the last several months even I got to the point of feeling like I was drowning. Frankly, I didn’t like the feeling. It made me commit to simplifying my entire life as I moved into 2010.

I wonder what would happen if we came together pooled our resources; spiritual, physical, and financial, in full submission to the leading of the Holy Spirit. I wonder what would happen if we laid aside our differences, cultural, economic, racial, and generational in order to fulfill the great commission and the great commandment of our Lord to love one another as He has loved us. Perhaps then we could labor side-by-side and experience together a mighty movement of God. (Sounds like a cooperative program.)

OK, what’s next? Many of us are asking that question as we begin this new decade. I have encountered few people who are sad to see 2009 go. In fact, I cannot think of any right now! Most of us breathed a collective sigh of relief when that ball fell in New York City New’s Year Eve.

In his latest book, A Simple Christmas, former Arkansas Governor, Mike Huckabee, talks about Christmas being a natural transition. He says, “Christmas is, in many ways, a milestone that marks various parts of our year. We will put things off ‘until after Christmas’ or commit to get something done ‘before Christmas.’ Christmas is also the time when you catch up with many people in your life – family, friends, neighbors – whom you might not have spoken to in a while. It’s a time to reflect on life – what you’re doing, what you’ve done, and what you hope to do.”