Just Busy or Too Busy?

   Have you ever sat down and really thought about everything you do? Your responsibilities. Demands from work. Family needs. Extra activities.  And - All God requires of you. Maybe it's easiest not to think of all these things, but sometimes a little self-check is what we need in order to diagnose our problem: Too busy.

   I will admit: I am busy. Between teaching, family and church, my schedule is often packed! But am I too busy? What even constitutes as "too busy?" For me, there is a balance between busy and too busy; that balance can sometimes be tricky. I have a full-time job, that is never finished. The mass of papers I grade is like the laundry at home; it never goes away! I also have a family. Between my husband's crazy work schedule and my kid's school and church activities, we are constantly on the move. I also have God, but the question is, Does He have me? 

   It is beyond easy to get sucked in by busyness. You're just doing what you have to do, right? This is where I have to check myself, or rather, let God do the inventory for me. A few of the questions I prayerfully ask of myself:

- Am I so frustrated, that I no longer find joy in what is keeping me so busy? 

- Am I so busy that I often forget or neglect my time with God? 

- Am I ignoring the things I am passionate about?

- Am I so busy doing things that I am too exhausted to do what God has called me to do?

- Am I so busy that I cannot make time to develop and nourish relationships with family and friends?

After the God to self evaluation, I have to be honest with myself (It also never hurts to have friends who will be honest with me if I choose not be!). Am I too busy?  If "too busy" is the answer, it's time to eliminate some things and rearrange priorities. 

   What I find about myself: I am usually not "too busy" but I am definitely busy. If God is in control of my busyness - I'm good. Me in control of my busyness is destined for disaster and that "too busy" feeling. This is where balance has to be found. I don't want to ever feel so good about my seemingly hectic schedule that I take control of it! I don't ever want my schedule to have me. I want God to have me.

** I have also found busy people can make other people uncomfortable. They often want to label you as "too busy." When this happens, I just do a God to self check. I believe God has a supernatural way of expanding time and energy when we're about His business and not just our busyness! 

   

Lesson in Clean Up

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to do a little "clean up" with a few friends of mine. This wasn't a regular clean up job though. It was something God had laid on our hearts. The problem was we had procrastinated...
We had driven by this fence row a few times. We had all noticed the trash blowing freely in the fence, especially the big plastic pieces hung up in the barb wire. So we discussed it and knew, we had to clean it up! Well, we were all busy and several weeks went by before we got back around to that trash in the fence. The thing was, what had once been large pieces of plastic in the fence, had now been shredded by the wind into smaller pieces of plastic. The large pieces that would have been easy to remove were now slivers of plastic clinging for life to the fence. And, it was now not only in the fence, it was also in the trees and weeds close to the fence. Our clean up job was growing! So we set the date and got the fence row - and trees and weeds - cleaned up!
As we cleaned the fence row, it occurred to us how much this trash was like sin in our lives. How when we listen to the Holy Spirit the first time and remove the sin from our life, it is so much easier to remove. But, unfortunately, too often we don't listen the first time. We allow sin to remain and become a part of us, and it becomes so hard to remove. It gets a hold, even a stronghold in our lives. What makes it even worse, we're not the only ones our sin affects. Like the plastic that had shredded and blew into nearby trees and weeds, our sin has an effect on the lives of people around us.
As we finished cleaning up the fence line, we were all thankful for an amazing God who taught us a little lesson through our "hands on" experience.

The Fragrance of East Asia

  I recently had the privilege of going on a mission trip, really more like a journey, to East Asia. Though I have definitely physically returned, it may take quite awhile for my mind to process everything, and I am positive that a piece of my heart will always remain.
  There is so much I could write about - so many things that are impressed upon my heart, but right now, there is one thing that stands out above them all. The three cities we visited had something in common. Not the people, the high-rise apartment buildings, or even the roadside markets. Although each city shared these commonalities, the one thing that won't leave me alone are door-side incense shrines. These aromatic shrines could be found outside almost every business and apartment building doorway. Their fragrance filled the air each day, as they were methodically lit every morning for "good luck."
  At first I was just saddened at the fact that this is what people are placing their hope in. The fragrant smell started to become a little unpleasant as I thought about it. Their hope for each day rested in the burning of the incense? Then I found out, after visiting with some area students, many people aren't even burning the incense to a particular god; they are just burning it out of tradition and honor. It's a ritual, everyday habit. They do it because their parents did it, their grandparents did... They have no idea why they really do it, other than they must do it for good luck. They believe in it. It made my heart hurt.
  I cannot get these shrines out of my mind; I sometimes feel as if the scent is chasing me! I can't imagine waking up, lighting my incense, and then believing that my "luck," my hope for the day, was dependent upon how long or good the incense burned. But then a convicting question arose from my heart (from the Holy Spirit, I'm sure) - Are these people more dedicated to ritualistically lighting the incense every morning for a god that doesn't exist, than I am to the One, True God who is alive and does exist? That thought makes my heart break.
  I pray the incense shrines, along with the people of East Asia stay on my heart and mind...
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

Obedience... Grrrrr!

Why is obedience so hard! When I tell my kids to do something, I expect them to do it. I don't count to five or even three, because that only gives them time to be disobedient; I expect them to do what I say, when I say. I also expect them to do what I have asked them to do - not their own way or halfway, but as I have stated (wow, I sound bossy). And God expects the same of me.
When he tells me what to do, He expects me to do it when He says it; but unfortunately I catch myself wanting Him to "count" and give me more time (and counting to five wouldn't be close to high enough). But His timing is perfect and I have to learn to fully trust in that (Prov 3:5-6). When He tells me to do something, it's because that is the time to do it. It's got nothing to do with how I feel or what I think. God has already went ahead of me and prepared everything - I need to trust Him. For me not to do what He says when He says demonstrates a lack of faith and is nothing less than disobedience.
For me to do things my way or halfway is also disobedience. So often I've said, "Well God, I did it!" And that's just it, I did it; it really had nothing to do with God because I changed what He told me to do. Even  just changing God's command a little takes glory from Him and brings it to us, which eventually always leads to disaster. God is the only One who can contain glory and the only One who deserves it, and when He is glorified, lives are truly changed.
We must be obedient in doing what He says, just as He's said, so only He receives glory;  Just thinking that my disobedience could cause someone to stumble or miss God completely is heartbreaking. What better way to demonstrate to my children about true obedience than for them to see me obey God daily - to see me obey God when it's not the easy thing to do. What better way for my friends, family, and co-workers to learn what God really means in my life? What better way to win the lost than to be obedient?

2 John 1:6 "And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning that you should walk in it."