You've heard of slow cookers? Well, my brain is a slow thinker. If you're looking to me for Instant Pot answers or explanations or ideas, you've come to the wrong place. Things have to simmer quite a while before I figure out what I think. Now before y'all start fussing and telling me that I think just fine and I don't need to be so hard on myself, this isn't a criticism of my brain; it's an observation. I've observed that I think slowly. Sometimes it's a blessing, and sometimes it's a curse. Sometimes it simply is.
I've always been careful about decisions large or small in my personal life. Christmas shopping takes me forever because I have to go around to all the stores and see what the possibilities are before committing to purchasing something. When I was younger, back when all shopping happened at the mall, I had to visit every store to see what they had. Once the circuit was complete, I would double back, finally certain of what I wanted to buy. Christmas shopping with me is a lengthy process. Online doesn't help much - items lay stranded in my cart for months before I'm ready to hit "purchase." Sometimes the purchases never get made because I simply can't decide. That's when the slow thinking is not helpful.
With big decisions I'm also slow. I don't know until I know. All the possibilities have to marinate before I'm ready to put the meat on the grill. Whether I'm buying a car, deciding which seminary to attend, choosing my health insurance, or discerning call, I need time. This can be frustrating to those around me, and even to me, but I can't decide until I've weighed the variables, considered the options, consulted with wise advisors, listened for God, and then waited until I know. How do I know? I can't tell you. But when I know, I know, and when I finally do know, I can act pretty quickly, sometimes to the surprise of others. Until then it's waiting for the slow cooker to finish.
Slow thinking can be a real challenge in ministry. I don't enjoy teaching much, because people always have questions, and I rarely have quick answers. Newsletter article writing, sermon writing, program planning, announcement creating all need to be done at a faster pace than I easily move. And being Acting Rector at Bruton this year highlighted how slow my brain is. Each day issues and questions came flying at me faster than I could process them. Unlike Katniss in The Hunger Games, my reaction time is slow - I wouldn't have made it far in those contests. I learned to step it up a bit, but to the end, I continually felt like I was moving through Jello when I needed to be a Nascar driver.
Our world is fast moving, and technology has made it so much faster. You snooze, you lose, as they say. There's nothing wrong with slow cookers or crock pots - they perform very valuable services. We need more slow thinkers - or perhaps more slow responders. Impulsively saying or posting every thought that comes in our minds doesn't seem to be enhancing the global conversation. But in a world of Instant Pot, the slow thinkers are often too far behind to contribute. I love to listen to witty banter, and sometimes I really wish I could make strong points in a debate, but by the time I've thought of what I want to say, the moment has passed. Seems best to observe from the sidelines though that can mean my voice isn't heard.
Most of the time I don't mind being a slow thinker. I like that I take time to consider decisions and I don't jump into things hastily and then have to back out with regret. Giving food time to marinate is a good thing - brings a lot of flavor to what you're cooking. While the cook is out getting things done, the pot simmers along, ready at the end of the day. I admit that sometimes, I wish I could just dump the options in the Instant Pot and have the decision made quickly! Better yet, how bout the Microwave?When I'm the person in charge, being a slow thinker often feels like a curse, but overall, I consider it to be a blessing. In 2020 I sense that some of the things that have been simmering on the back burner of my brain may be just about done. I'm eager to see how they'll taste!
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