Deacon's Corner - Busyness!

Last weekend, I attended a workshop in Toronto.  In all, it consisted of 13 hours of lectures and learning exercises.  By Sunday afternoon, I was tired and cranky; and on Monday I was back to work.

Why am I mentioning this?  It’s because we live in a society that sets a very high value on busyness, and I am tired of it. We are expected to squeeze 60 hours of work into every week; and we take inordinate pride in doing so.  We come home from work each day and check our schedules to see what is planned for the evening.  Sadly, we rarely find ‘talking to our spouse’ or ‘phoning a friend’ on the list.  We spend all kinds of time being active, but very little time building the things that make for community.

I think it’s time we slowed down and figured out what really matters to us, and then do the things that make them possible. We want friends who care about us, but we don’t find the time to sit down and talk to them. We want our children to grow up to be compassionate and caring adults, yet we’re too busy to teach them how. 

I’m finally learning that I can’t be everything people want me to be; I’m far too flawed for that. What I can do though, is try to listen to God, and do what I think She is calling me to do. I’ve already figured out that saying no to someone when they ask me to give more of myself than I have to offer, isn’t a sin; even when it’s for a good cause. 

I need to keep reminding myself that God is in charge; and God has managed to bring me this far in spite of myself. More important still, I need to remember that God has not asked me to fix the world, but to love it. 

 

What is He asking you to do?  Can you fit it in your schedule?

Deacon Mark