Busy, but . . .

I drove to the Church this morning, revelling in the sights and sounds of Spring around me. The sky was a perfect blue, the flowering trees and forsythia were enthusiastically sharing their blossoms and I hummed "All Things Bright and Beautiful" as I went along. It was a moment to rejoice. But it was only a moment as I found my thoughts wandering to the things I had to get done in the office today and I prepared myself for work.

It was a moment that also made me realize how tired I am. Easter came early this year and following so soon on the heels of Christmas/Epiphany, it took energy to prepare. My semester at school is ending and I am writing my end-of-class paper. Baseball began this week for my younger son and the second grade music performance is next Tuesday. I will be moving my older son home from college next Friday ( just where did his freshmen year go?). In between being Mom, student and minister, I have been trying to deal with detritus winter left behind in my yard (I am beginning to agree with my older son: "If God hadn't wanted leaves on the ground, they would fall UP"). As happy as I am to see Spring, it makes me realize what a busy and tiring year it has been.

When I find myself this tired, I realize that the first thing that suffers is my prayer life. I am too tired to pray - surely God can understand that? Even God rested after all the work of creating, and that is one of the lessons I need help remembering. As I run from project to project and responsibility to responsibility, I push my tiredness away and stiffle the urge to simply sit still, breathe and connect with God for a bit.

Busy yourselves with family and professional responsibilities, I am sure you can identify with my feelings. So the questions I invite us to ask ourselves this week are: Does it have to be this way? Are we really just supposed to grit our teeth and get done what needs to be done until vacation time arrives and we can just collapse on the beach?

I don't think this is what God had in mind. God offers us not just food for the journey, but refreshment along the way. When the world is a riot of spring celebration around us, isn't this an invitation to let go of whatever urgent thing is before us and just breathe it in - if only for a few minutes?

I think the answer to this is a resounding YES! So here is what I am going to do today to break the cycle of putting one foot in front of the other until all the tasks are done. Instead of running around like a madwoman unloading the dishwasher and throwing in a load of laundry in the few minutes between arriving home from work and meeting my younger son's bus, I am going to sit in the rocker outside my front door and just let the goodness of God's new life wash over me. The only item on my agenda will be breathing. I am not going to solve any problems, review my "to-do" list in my head or figure out when I have time to mow the lawn. I am just going to be in God's presence and see what happens.

What about you? Can you find ten minutes in your day to let God refresh you?

Faithfully,
Elizabeth