A Simple Life
I've been trying to simplify my life, lately. After the birth of our son, I realized how busy I was and have always been. This was leaving virtually no time for family time, which I treasured more than ever after his arrival. Since he was born, I've been "trimming the fat" as they say: not saying Yes to everything and everybody, cutting some things out of my schedule that weren't necessary, and just trying to be less-busy in general.
I just started reading the book The Overload Syndrome by Dr. Richard Swenson, more as an affirmation than anything. In the book, he talks about our Savior and how simple His life was. Jesus' priority was always the person or people in front of Him at that moment in time. He wasn't in a hurry to get to the next city or to eat or to do anything else. He cared about the situation He was in at that moment.
Too often I'm taking care of what's at hand in order to get to the next thing, or get somewhere else: my tasks at work so I can go home, my nightly prayer so I can sleep, my conversation with someone so that I can [fill in the blank], the list goes on. What I should actually be doing is taking in the moment, living in the moment, slow down, especially with regard to people.
More to come as I read more, and lose more of my busy-ness...
posted by Andy @ 4:20 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
I agree with you. While I have been able to slow down since Joshua's arrival because of staying home, I still oftentimes find myself "rushing" from one thing to the next. I'm better at it than I was when I first began staying home with him. I think my original "thought process" was, "I'm home. I can get the cleaning done, etc., etc. during the day now." I'm realizing more every day how much these days are for HIM. While I still try to keep up on house-things, I'm finding that he is SO much more deserving of my time than the dishes, laundry, etc. Some of my best days now are those when I get nothing "accomplished" except for loving on him! I'm trying to be more like Mary and less like Martha!
As for you, I'm glad that you are cutting back on things - for your own good. You've always gone out of your way to help people, do things for people, etc., and while that is good, it can burn you out. I think it's a great mystery of life trying to figure out what things are important enough to say yes to, and what we can pass on.
Good point in your book about Jesus not being in a hurry. One more way in which we should strive to be like Him...
Gotta run now....time to get off of the computer and go love on my baby boy! =)
Good stuff, bro...and very convicting. I'm in a position in my life right now where I really want to say "yes" to everybody. But I know I shouldn't. It's so hard, but I know that you'll reap the benefits of doing what you're talking about. And so will your family.
There is a great chapter in "Celebration of Disipline" on the spiritual discipline of simplicity. It's great.
Now that I'm convicted, on to the 1,000 things I have to get done today...
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