So please grab a cup of coffee & read for a few minutes... I think you'll be glad you did.
Dr Johnny McKinney spoke in December on the importance of having the courage to rest. So often -- every month, every week, every day -- our lives are driven our calendars. From the time we get up until we crawl back into bed, we are jerked around by our clocks.
When you greet someone & they ask how you're doing, or what you've been up to, what do you say? The common reply in our culture, regardless of your role in life, is "Oh, I am SO busy." I say it. You say it. Who doesn't say this?
Dr McKinney asked us to consider that perhaps there's a subtle bragging in this response, an implied self-importance. Our society glorifies being busy... if you're not busy, there's something wrong. Busyness is something to be aspired to, to strive for. However, Dr McKinney pointed out that perhaps the glorification of busyness has an aspect of underlying idolatry. That by subtly implying that the world can't get along without us, we are actually promoting ourselves to a much higher importance than we are.
So how do we stop? How do we take a moment & pause? Are we, as this song says, traveling faster than our souls can go?
Psalms 46:10 instructs us to "BE STILL & KNOW." God is asking us to step out of the traffic & take a long, loving look at Him. Our bodies need rest... this is how He created us. In order to maintain physical, emotional & spiritual health, rest is absolutely necessary.
So what about during the day, when things are zooming along at a million miles a minute? How do you rest when there's just so much to do? Dr McKinney recommends that you give yourself a "pause point"... a moment of "time-out" to ask yourself the following questions:
You also have to draw a line with your kids' busyness. Between dance & soccer & baseball & gymnastics & club meetings, it's easy to never have a moment to breath as a family. Each family is different, so only you know how much is too much. Find the balance between supporting your kids' extracurricular activities without teaching them the glorification of busyness.
Try to do these 3 R's once a day:
REFRAIN. Just stop. After the kiddos are in bed, or before they wake up, take a moment to just stop & be still.
RECHARGE. Take time to rejuvenate. God created us with limitations & that's ok... you have to be kind to yourself.
REFOCUS. Use these quiet times to remind yourself of what's important. Remember who you really are. Stop long enough to let God hug you.
Give yourself permission to stop. You are NOT lazy because you take a break. Be intentional & set time aside for rest. Let go of the guilt. Unplug from your laptop & phone & ipad to allow your brain to rest as well as your body.
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| {click here for free printable} |
Dr McKinney asked us to consider that perhaps there's a subtle bragging in this response, an implied self-importance. Our society glorifies being busy... if you're not busy, there's something wrong. Busyness is something to be aspired to, to strive for. However, Dr McKinney pointed out that perhaps the glorification of busyness has an aspect of underlying idolatry. That by subtly implying that the world can't get along without us, we are actually promoting ourselves to a much higher importance than we are.
So how do we stop? How do we take a moment & pause? Are we, as this song says, traveling faster than our souls can go?
Psalms 46:10 instructs us to "BE STILL & KNOW." God is asking us to step out of the traffic & take a long, loving look at Him. Our bodies need rest... this is how He created us. In order to maintain physical, emotional & spiritual health, rest is absolutely necessary.
So what about during the day, when things are zooming along at a million miles a minute? How do you rest when there's just so much to do? Dr McKinney recommends that you give yourself a "pause point"... a moment of "time-out" to ask yourself the following questions:
Pause Point:
What is driving my actions? Is it obligation or necessity? Am I trying to be super-mom? Am I too uptight about something? Do I need to catch my breath?
You also have to draw a line with your kids' busyness. Between dance & soccer & baseball & gymnastics & club meetings, it's easy to never have a moment to breath as a family. Each family is different, so only you know how much is too much. Find the balance between supporting your kids' extracurricular activities without teaching them the glorification of busyness.
Try to do these 3 R's once a day:
REFRAIN. Just stop. After the kiddos are in bed, or before they wake up, take a moment to just stop & be still.
RECHARGE. Take time to rejuvenate. God created us with limitations & that's ok... you have to be kind to yourself.
REFOCUS. Use these quiet times to remind yourself of what's important. Remember who you really are. Stop long enough to let God hug you.
Give yourself permission to stop. You are NOT lazy because you take a break. Be intentional & set time aside for rest. Let go of the guilt. Unplug from your laptop & phone & ipad to allow your brain to rest as well as your body.
SIMPLIFY your life. SIMPLIFY your kids' lives. Just stop & be.
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