I laid back and just smiled! This day is a gift, I thought, a gift that I am going to absolutely, positively, thoroughly enjoy, beginning with a 10am getting-out-of-bed time!!
Today is the first day in over a month that I have nowhere to be at a certain time, no appointments, no errands and my only deadline is bedtime!! I have things I have to do, for sure - make some pumpkin pies, a broccoli salad, download some pictures on the computer, make some Christmas ornaments, bring up some Christmas bins from the garage, etc, but I don't have to leave home to do them. Hallejulah!!
I don't have to do my hair;
I don't have to put on make-up;
I don't even have to get dressed if I don't want to and possibly, I may not!!
Four months ago I made plans and reservations to go to a Writer's Retreat for a week at the end of October. Around the same time I made plans and reservations to go to New York City for four days at the beginning of December. There were about 5 weeks between the two trips - no problem!
Then, at the beginning of September a friend and her husband invited me to come to Florida sometime in November. I at first dismissed the invitation, then thought more about it. Checking on the airline flights, I found I had a free ticket from my TrueBlue points and thought - this is virtually a free trip - Florida in November - I can't pass this up!! So, yup, I can do this. I can do this!!
What was I thinking??!!
I have pretty much been going non-stop since October 25th. And at age 65, let me tell you, this pace is wearing me down.
The Writer's Retreat was much, much more than I ever hoped it would be, but coming home, I got stuck overnight in Charlotte, NC because of a cancelled flight, so I lost a whole day right there in the airport!! The eight days at home went by in a blur as I worked, scurried, hurried, unpacked, re-packed, did some crazy, frantic Christmas shopping, worked on and attended a Ladies Retreat at my home church and then flew off to sunny Florida.
Florida was wonderful - time at the beach, resting, sharing with my friend, time with other friends, resting, bike-riding, resting. It was definitely the calm before the next storm! I kept telling myself to enjoy the rest because I knew when I arrived back home I would be hitting the ground running!
And that's what I've been doing since I arrived home a week ago - working, running from one appointment to the next, planning for Thanksgiving and Christmas, working, meetings, obligations, hurrying, scurrying, exhausted from one day into the next. Thinking and dreaming about today - today, when I knew, finally, I would get a whole day at home!!
It is so true - hurry hurts!!
I am tired, exhausted even, but really tired of hurrying!! There's got to be a better way, an easier pace. I sit quietly at my table determined not to rush and I hear the Lord quietly say,
"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30
Lord, teach me what that means. Help me to find my rest in you, even in the midst of my busy, chaotic life. Teach me to slow down and savor the moment. Teach me to slow down in the midst of the hurry. As I enter into this holiday season of celebrating your birth, make me mindful of what is best, according to your definition of best. Teach me to savor the Savior, more than the trappings of this season. May I abide in you moment by moment and enjoy people rather than things. Thank YOU, the one who gives life that we might have life and life abundantly. Thank YOU for precious Holy Spirit who reminds me of what is important. Thank YOU for this day, THIS day, of no hurry, this day of gentle awareness of the rest you give.
Happy, Blessed Thanksgiving!
It's true, the older you get, the harder it is to hurry. I'm feeling tired just reading this~
ReplyDeleteI know, right??!!
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