You know her: she commits to everything, she is always going, she has 852,000 things on her plate, and still manages to send you a Birthday post on Facebook. The busy woman. We commend her, we aspire to be her, we're secretly jealous of her awesomeness.
Lately, however, I've been pondering the importance of being so busy. Why is it that we value being busy? I think we all envy the person who can seemingly "do it all"... but none of us really can. I am realizing, though, there is something lost in the busy lifestyle... I remember reading a book1 in which the author spoke about a woman who was best described as being "present". I read this book years ago and this one description still sticks in my head. I think it is impossible, however, to be both the busy woman and the present woman.
I want to be able to do it all, I want to be involved, to say "yes" to any and everything asked of me. But, I am realizing now that the energy and ability to do that pours out of a woman who has taken time to sit back and just be. I've found my desire to do it all and to be involved is not prompted by a desire to contribute, but rather a desire to be that woman; it pours out of my desire to be important and recognized.
The truly present woman, however, is able to be because she has taken time to sit in the presence of God, to be, to enjoy, to soak up all the joys and the life around her. There is such an important balance: I don't ever want to be lazy or selfish... but I don't want to be so busy with the "stuff" of life that I don't have time to sit with friends, to listen,
to enjoy good food, to laugh, to watch life happen and experience every moment of it - breath it in.
I am amazed at how quickly time goes by. I don't want to miss the important conversations with friends, the anecdotes and inside jokes, the laughter, the tears... I want to be there for the joys of life not catch up on the joys of life over a quick phone call from one "important" meeting/commitment/appointment to another.
God, help me to live out the importance of being, of enjoying, and taking time out to be with you and to be refreshed.
Proverbs 11:25b: He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Luke 10:38-42: Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her"
