The Bottleneck

Have you ever felt the resistance of a bottled up flow of water? You know, like a funneled plugged with no other route to go except the way you’re going. A wider stream gets cramped down to a smaller path. Life is sluggish leading into the bottleneck and flushed tightly through the nozzle on the smaller side.

Traffic Jam, anyone?!!!?

Of course, we all understand this concept even if we feel it doesn’t apply to our moment in time. But it does. It applies to just about anything, and everything. From the Internet, and yes, even to the proverbial game of getting through the door all at once! Life is a struggle if we fail to understand that we experience bottlenecks every so often!

This is what I’m thinking about this morning. Life is often like a lazy stream, going merrily down the path of life. Then, something happens. Before you know it, something else happens. And before you realize what’s going on, everything becomes clogged by the narrowing window. The hours of the day disappear, and the problems persist. Unless you see the problem, you have no clue what needs to be fixed, and life backs up and wreaks havoc.

Looking back over this year, I have seen the pattern of my past that can only be realized in the present. You reach a point where it is raining cats and dogs and wonder, “Where did that come from?” You’ve not noticed the flow has narrowed. Life is backing up. Then, “Wham!” everything comes to a head and the system is clogged, and you start scrambling to handle it all.

Though probably ill-prepared for the moment, you should realize you’ve been here before. This is life. It bottlenecks and suddenly every iron is in the fire and you must handle them in an orderly fashion. Necessary things first. Backburner things last.

Analyze. Decide. Prioritize. Then do.

This is crucial. You must analyze what’s happened, decide what needs to be done, prioritize the work, and then, simply, do. #Thimk #Do

Thimk and Do (Click to Read my thought on Thimk!)

Only after you’ve accomplished the work, then you can backtrack and determine what went wrong and why did you miss the symptoms and signs.

Think about it. What happened to the bottleneck of life? Was there something missing in the history of handling life that allowed these things to happen? Or, is it simply the way life has a way of happening sometimes?

Imagine a scenario where you are resting comfortably. Then suddenly a smoke alarm goes off. It rattles everyone’s cage. The bird is squawking. You begin to run to what you think is the source, only the incessant alarm makes you more anxious and you fail to see it’s simply something smoking from the oven. Let this happen a few times, then you’re old hat. But let it happen with some company in the room, and you get that panicked feeling. You so wanted to make a good impression!

Life Has A Way

Life has a way of bottlenecking at exactly the wrong time. That’s what these past 18 months have felt like.

Maybe I should have noticed it was clogging up when I had knee surgery, but I just didn’t catch it. That was simply a bump in the road. A slow driver up ahead. Maybe it’s just a slight glitch.

Then, my sister had her eye surgery and was out of commission for a while. Okay. Slow down. Take your time. Suddenly, my Dad received a negative report from the doctor. Ok. Maybe there’s a bridge out somewhere, but we can still make it through some back roads. It’s time to think about options.

Then, terrible news. September 23rd. My sister. Gone. Then a friend. Gone just a few days later. Then an aunt. Gone a few days later… My knee started hurting and is acting like it’s got some problems. Top it off with the heating system fails…

Suddenly the funnel feels clogged. The bottleneck is tight. Nothing is flowing as it should. If I dig it out any more, I’ll find plenty of other streams of life that are not flowing like I thought they would. In fact, they are more numerous than I want to mention today.

Move into the new year. Dad’s gone. Bride retires. COVID-19 hits. George Floyd, just a name among many. A senseless tragedy and the world turns upside down. 

Last night, we started opening our church for attendance. A few trickled in, but I’m sure this Sunday will have more. It’s been over 3 months since I’ve been in a church service with my family! It’s time! Look! light at the end of the funnel…uh, tunnel!

Backtracking life is necessary.

Call it an “after-action” meeting, and you’ll find an honest assessment will help you plan better for the next time things are not looking like they should. Backtrack a few minutes. Document what you can see, and look for alternative solutions. Everything you do to plan for a better future is best done when you are seeing life with a 20/20 vision. Backward, as well as forward!

Good, better, best.
Never let it rest.
Till your good gets better.
And your better gets best.
~Rev James L Kilgore

This has natural and spiritual implications. From life in general to living life on purpose. If you will take your time to think it through and plan, you will be better prepared for life has a way to bring your way.

Can I tell you that it is perhaps time to quit thinking about what got us to this point of life? 

The Apostle Paul shares an insight that is for us today.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
(Colossians 3:2 KJV)

He tells us in another language, “exercise your mind on things above…and not on things here…”. Think about this when the funnel of life starts getting clogged and sluggish. Life has a way of happening all the time, and if you keep your attention focused on the here, and now, you will get lost in the struggle.

Lift up your eyes to the hills from whence cometh your help. Your help comes from the Lord! (Psalms 121:1)

For which cause we faint not;
but though our outward man perish,
yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment,
worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
(2 Corinthians 4:16-17 KJV)