Christian Living

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Take your time. If I could sum up my advice for people living in today’s world, it would be to take your time.

This is Scott Paschal, Tennis Ministry Director of the International Christian Tennis Association. Both myself and ICTA’s staff, Melody Snelen and Rachel Snelen, would like to offer a bit of advice for you to consider…

Slow down and get out of the flow of culture.

Standard equipment for a young person today is a cell phone, IPOD, and a laptop computer.

I remember back in the day when we didn’t have cell phones. We actually told each other where we were going and how to get a hold of each other. Kids today seem to be a needy, insecure bunch. Always needing to be able to reach everyone they know at all times so they can feel “connected.”

IPODs can hold tens of thousands of songs. Who needs that many songs? Who’s paying for ‘em? From what kids tell me they tend to steal them off the internet. I hear the new IPODs have a cell phone attached and can even play movies. Pretty soon we’ll probably have them implanted in our thumbnails at birth.

Today’s average low-end laptop computer is more powerful than all the computer systems aboard the Apollo 13 spacecraft combined. Now, the average 12 year old kid has all of this technology and uses it to play video games.

When world class athletes come to my Christian tennis academy in Florida to train with me, they are often pretty shocked to see the other kids talking and laughing with each other.

They look around and see kids interacting and developing relationships. Sure, we have laptop computers, IPODS, and cell phones… but I teach the kids to use these as tools to enhance their lives, not things to build their lives around.

After a few days the “techie-addicted” kids begin to play a lot of ping pong and board games with the other kids. They start reading books. And I can see them start to relax and have fun. Soon after they laugh at their old habits and addictions.

That’s good.

Sometimes we all need some help with those things our culture has pulled us into which can take us away from God’s call for our lives.

Could be that we begin to worship our work, our sport, our hobbies… whatever. It’s always good to have people who care about you that can see where you need a bit of help. That’s one of the best things about being a fulltime coach. Helping kids grow.

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