For a really long time now I keep planning for things I will do when things here at home slow down a bit. When we get past this, I will have more time. Well, this week has a lot going on, when things slow down I will be able to…. (fill in the blank here.) I am beginning to think things just are not going to slow down and if there are things I want to get done, I am going to have to make time for them. I am starting to think “life’s busy season” isn’t so much a season, as its own decade!
I often remember of one of my favorite bible stories, found in Luke chapter 10, when Jesus comes to the home of Mary and Martha. As much as I want to say I would have the heart of Mary, that I realize the importance and need for sitting at the Master’s feet, I feel that if I am honest with myself I am afraid I would be Mary. I tend to always find some “busy-ness” to be about.
I have placed so much on my plate again that I am afraid I am pushing to the side the most nutritious parts until sometimes it feels as though they are barely hanging on the edge. I have realized if I want to find more peace and calm in my life I am going to have to slow down enough to spend the time listening to my Lord instead of busying my hands with so much work. I am going to have to focus on Him, instead of being distracted by everything else around me. Once I put things in the right perspective, the rest will get done and if it doesn’t, as my husband says, in one hundred years it won’t matter anyway! But in one hundred years my relationship with my Lord will still be all that has ever mattered!
I realize that right now it is not a big problem. That right now, it seems managable, I may run myself ragged and feel so tired I can sleep standing up, but I can see into my future (well, I wish but for now I can imagine) that if I don’t learn to say “no” to some things, I will lose my ability to say “yes” to the best things! So I am going to learn to say “no” to that tv show, so I can say yes to extra time reading His word. I am going to say “no” to that extra few minutes on Facebook, so I can say “yes” to a few extra minutes of cuddle time with the kids before bed. I am going to look for other things that I can say “no” to, so I can have more time to say “yes” to the better things in life!
So tomorrow as I prepare for another busy weekend, I promise myself to make the time to say “Yes” to time alone in prayer, to time listening to my shepherd lead me through the distractions. Won’t you join me during “NO”vember!
“And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42
