Our family has had an insane last few weeks. Between all of the end-of-the-year school events (I’m a proud mom of a new Kindergarten grad), hectic work schedules, baseball games, appointments, and meetings… well, we are busy. We are not a family that is usually “busy”. We have places to be, things we like to do, but rarely do we have places to be at a set time on a certain day. We have a lifestyle that usually alludes to fluidity. I keep a classic whiteboard monthly calendar that we keep on our refrigerator. I obviously note the current month’s activities, but on the side I list out the upcoming month’s activities as well. When I filled out the month of May, almost every single day had something we had to do or be at. Every time I walked past that calendar, I almost had an immediate feeling of dread. Not a single one of those things were bad – except for my son’s oral surgery consultation, of course. We had multiple activities going on for my son – May Crowning, Living Rosary, baseball games, and school field day. My daughter had her last day of school and a party at the park. My husband had random places he needed to be. None of it was “bad”. Except for the fact that it was constant. I was relieved to erase the month and start again with June. And thus the vicious cycle repeated itself. Lots of days filled with places to be. But this month, there’s a vacation (and all the people said “Amen”.)
My husband and I recently discussed how some people are able to bounce from place to place and thrive in the “busy”. We are not those people. It’s that we aren’t thriving – everyone is where they should be, on time, fully prepared. We just don’t *love* going from place to place. After much thought, I’ve realized why I, personally, don’t *love* it.
When we are busy, I don’t have time to simply be. I don’t have time to refresh my mind, or orient my thoughts. In these times, I feel my fuse grow shorter, my patience dwindle, and my tone worsen. I certainly don’t make prayer a priority, and I definitely don’t pause long enough to hear what God may be asking of me. Obviously all of these things correlate with one another. When I’m busy, I don’t let God interrupt my busy mind, heart, or being.
It seems so obvious – when things are slow, it’s easy to stop and listen for God’s voice or to allow Him to move me where He wants me. However, in times of busyness, I know I personally seem to forget that.
I am not advocating for blank calendars or trying to say that you shouldn’t be “busy”. But what I would like to suggest is making sure that no matter what speed you’re currently operating at, you have given God space in your busyness. Taking time to pause (even if for just 10 seconds) and simply inviting God into your day can calm any hectic mind, heart, or being.
Again, it seems so obvious, but a reminder never hurt anyone. Maybe it’s another thing to add to the calendar.
