Have you ever said, I can’t wait until this spiritual test
is over...I can’t wait until summer....I can’t wait until I find that next job....I can’t wait for my next car.....I can't wait for my next house...I can't wait until my kids are out of school... out of their diapers/pull-ups....even more so out of my house! Or (you fill in the blanks…)________ --- so
that I can be at some next point in my life?
Well Jesus always prepares us for what is on the road
ahead... He says that we should take time to be still in HIS Presence so that
He can strengthen us. It is no wonder that the busier we become, without
spending that valuable time, the more we end up opening ourselves up to
weakness and temptation because we literally need this time to be revived (renewed
back to a spiritual life) in Him...
I vividly remember one weekend afternoon, feeling like I had
to keep the mouse wheel going rushing in from being out, making a phone call to
my husband to give him additional things to shop for while he was at the store,
while I also made another phone call to my mom while opening a big can of tuna
for a tuna salad until dinner was done. Not really focusing on what I was
doing, I told the person to hold while I put the phone between my ear and shoulder
and then proceeded to finish opening the can of tuna. Voila! All was well until
I set the tuna can down and proceeded to stir in the relish and mayonnaise and
noodles, and knocked my bowl into a now empty flying can of which I proceeded
to catch with my left hand. VOIL- OUCH! What had just happened?
I was staring down into two of my fingers, my middle finger
you could almost see clear to the bone. The can I just caught by its jagged
top, also just caught me! OUCH! I
proceeded not realizing how bad the cut was to rinse my hand until all I could
see was white flesh in my finger and a big gaping hole of skin. I had my son
call his dad as he was doing the dishes. Meanwhile I asked my son what he
thought- as he looked over my shoulder in a matter of fact way as he so often
does- and he said, “Yep, you are going to need a good amount of stitches.”
I then replied, “Thanks Howie!” as I proceeded to cry.
Eventually I called over a sister from our church who happened to be a
registered nurse, who proceeded to confirm I would need to seek urgent care. Of
which I spent the next four hours of my evening in the waiting room…WAITING…on
the nurse, then the doctor and finally much later that night headed back home. All this time, of which, I had
plenty of time to reflect how I needed to s-l-o-w D-O-W-N!
Now I am sharing this story to not gross you out, but I do share
this story to say that it is so easy to get into a RAT("Rapidly –Accelerated-
w/Things" I call it!) race of doing so many things at one time, rushing through the day
from one thing to the next - not really seeking the rest or mind of God in a
matter. I was painfully reminded on this day and now have a beauty mark going forward what it means to truly enjoy my journey. Although
my finger from the outside is totally healed, it is much more sensitive than my
other hand when I do certain things, and it serves as a clear reminder and painful experience for me, personally, to help
me now remember to slow down…..I also realized on this same day that if it does not all get done…..that
LESS can often really be MORE! And it is okay...
The scriptures says that the Lord hates a false balance,
however a well-balanced life offers a healthy path and a perfect pitch between calmness
and activity, work and play, personal time and professional time, family life
and social life, and most of all, time alone with God in His Word and with His
people.
I always make it an intentional point to carve out quality time
to spiritually refresh myself, strengthen my marriage/family and nourish our corporate
and personal ministry to people. To do that, I have to cut into time that could
be spent doing other very good, even noble things. Sometimes that can be
painful...not participating in something I'd like to do, am asked to do, cannot
afford to do or simply cannot do because of previous commitments.
But choosing to say a Healthy balance allows me the
opportunity to later stay a Healthy in every thing and leads to a more
balanced, productive, peaceful, rewarding life.
I don't want to just be busy, but I want to be blessed. A
balanced life blesses me and allows me to more readily bless others.....even
those who live under my roof! Are you running the R-A-T race today? If so, I
want to challenge you to slow it down, take time outs, and don't rush those times that you get with the Lord. Have
a blessed one! Enjoying my journey today....
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| My 11-"Stitch" Lesson on how to enjoy the Journey! |
