MVP of Busyness

This is how my dog feels about me being so busy.

I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty addicted to my iPhone.

As I sat down to write, a new email popped up (Squirrel!), I received a Facebook notification (Squirrel!) and I received a phone call from my dad and a random number in Arizona (Squirrel! Squirrel!).

And the craziness doesn’t stop with my phone.  Right now I’m juggling two loads of laundry, I just started the dishwasher, I was just reminded that my car is due for service, and I just ran out of dog food.  I have a presentation due today at 12 noon which I somehow need to work on between studying for nutrition school, getting to the gym to train for the half marathon I just committed to, and meeting a friend for coffee.  My schedule is so ridiculous that when a friend asked if I had time to talk yesterday, I told him I could squeeze him in roughly between 5:00-5:15, before getting heading to a dinner.   

If Busyness was a sport, I’d be MVP, 18-time Pro Bowl selected Champion of the World. (Yes, I’m still having off-season football withdrawals.  I think I need to pick up a new sport.  A friend told me I should get into something called “baseball”).

It’s so easy to be busy, isn’t it?  And the funny thing is, being this busy hasn’t made me better at multi-tasking, it’s actually made me worse. 

Don’t get me wrong, these aren’t all bad things.  In fact, I’m grateful that I have so many fun things and people in my life. 

But.  Sometimes, being this busy is just downright distracting.  Especially when it pulls me away from God.

It’s sad to me how I find it sooooo difficult to just be still. 

I was reminded twice yesterday of how important this is. 

My friend that I was able to chat with between 5:00-5:15, is in the middle of making a big decision.   After seeking advice from 80 friends, reading countless devotionals, and going to church, we came to the conclusion that maybe he should, you know, pray about it. 

This lesson tied in well with my devotional yesterday*.  

Thank me for the conditions that are requiring you to be still.  Do not spoil these quiet hours by wishing them away, waiting impatiently to be active again.  Quietness and trust enhance your awareness of My Presence with you.  

I took these lessons to heart. While I’m committed every morning to spending time reading a devotional (ok sometimes 3), and praying, I’ve realized that I’m really good at having one-way conversations with God:

Good Morning God! I pray for this and that!  Thank you very much, Goodbye.

I’m not very good and stopping and listening.  At being still.

So this morning I incorporated a new ritual.  I set my stopwatch for 5 minutes (I know, kinda lame).  And I sat there.  I’m not gonna lie, my mind wandered a lot.  I thought about what a friend taught me once: breathe out Let Go, breathe in Let God.  That worked for roughly 27 seconds.

But I did it.  And I know with time, I’ll get better.  But right now, if you’ll excuse me, apparently I have a new email from Bank of America…

* I have read Jesus Calling every morning for 4 years.   It’s hands down my favorite devotional of all time.  I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve read the day’s devotional and it’s applied to exactly what’s going on in my life at that moment.  Pretty freaking awesome.