Are you busy?
Depending on who is asking, my answer varies, but there’s no denying, many of us are busy. Seasons of life make our busy look or feel different, but busy is abundant in our lives. As we continue our summer of listen, learn and let go, it’s time to let go of busy.
Talking to a friend recently, she clearly hadn’t considered any other way to do life than being busy. In the midst of active children, family, and other responsibilities, she resigned that’s simply how life is.
In reality, being busy is a choice.[tweetthis]Being busy is a choice & God models it perfectly. #doingbusybetter #wellness #followhisfootprints[/tweetthis]
We don’t HAVE to keep up with everyone else. We can choose different and perhaps wiser paths for ourselves and our loved ones. But even when we are, being busy doesn’t have to be bad or overwhelming. Life is full of choices for most of us and how we are busy is one of them.
I’ve learned, especially over the last ten years, there will always be people, situations, and circumstances out of my control. We can’t control everything, but we can control our reactions, choices, and attitude.
Last week, I wrote about a choice to choose joy in a difficult time. It was one of my best life lessons.
I now try to wisely choose how to control my time and quality of life. It’s accomplished with my lifestyle habits and how, who, what and where to focus my time. In this quest, I’ve found voices of others seeking the same outlook on life.
A few months ago, I chose to be part of a book launch for Glynnis Whitwer’s newest book, Doing Busy Better. even with limited time and never having done a book launch previously, I still knew this was a good choice. I loved her previous book, Taming the To-Do List’s message and knew this book Doing Busy Better would also inspire and encourage. It did.
I’ve very careful to only endorse things I truly believe in and Glynnis’ message in this book is one of them. The message is not how to be more productive or less busy. The message is truly how we all can be doing busy better. It reinforced my desire not to just let go of busy, but why and how I was busy.
Her realistic look at the why of her busy sparked a look into my own motivations toward a busy life. Throughout the book, there’s a correlation and contrast between rest and busy. As Glynnis explains:
We’ll never find rest if we associate it with checking something off our to-do list.
What truth! My list is never ending-is yours? Many of us feel we can never rest because of this. But as she continues to describe:
rest is not earned; it is a gift
from God we must accept as He has designed.
Her illumination of being versus doing in life as well as her explanation of God’s design for our work prompted me to adjust my perspective. Her point ties in to Colossians 3:23-24 so succinctly and reminded me that my work and its value are all tied into God’s love for me.
Then came the section on hurrying.
Wow.
I do things fast and learned this as a child. One of my children has inherited my hurry trait and the other takes his own natural time on things. It drives the hurrier in me crazy! But I have realized fast isn’t always good and have tried to practice being present more purposefully over the last few years. But it’s a struggle at times! Which is why this struck me like an arrow:
When we hurry, we miss what God has put right in front of us.
I’ve experienced that pang of regret of missing what God blessed me with before and I don’t want to again. Hurry is not the same as busy and with Jesus as our role model, we can lead a productive but peaceful life. Glynnis also goes on to describe and provide ways to serve others in love and find a sustainable balance in our busy lives.
Letting go of my habit of how I do busy is a work in progress, but I’m committed to living and sharing here how I’m following His lead. I love sharing the words God gives me to encourage and inspire but also sharing those of others who do the same.
Whether it’s guest posts from time to time or a shout out to a book I love, it’s my goal to help us all find that inspiration to keep following his footprints. This book, Doing Busy Better is one I recommend you read and share with your friends too. You will be blessed by Glynnis’ heart and words to think honestly about how we live our busy lives and how to honestly, do it better.
(By the way-I received nothing in return for recommending this book to you. I just really loved it!)
Linking with Deb at #FaithnFriendsLinkup
I also loved this book. I know it sounds crazy, but I am working hard at resting!!
Fabulous, but for both of us and many others, it’s about learning to not WORK so hard at resting! Thanks, really enjoyed your post too!