Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
~Matthew 11:28-30
Have you ever stopped being busy long enough to wonder why you're so busy? Several years ago I took a long weekend vacation to just get away and relax. Guess what I discovered? The place I had chosen to relax was a very busy place with lots to do, and my phone kept alerting me that someone needed my help so I spent most of the time walking from one shady place to another to answer emails, texts, phone calls, Facebook messages, and working. How much relaxation do you think I got?
On the final day, I decided that I had to put a stop to this "workcation" because, after all, I didn't spend all this money to get a room, enjoy good meals, and fuel to and from, just so I could do the same thing I did every other day. So I put the cellphone in the suitcase, put the suitcase in the car, and went for a walk. The first place I went was to a pier with some day-old bread I had purchased on the way. I spent time feeding the seagulls, pigeons, and any other hungry bird that happened to show up. And while I was there, a dolphin with her calf swam right past the pier. These experiences I continue to cherish because God showed me to slow down and live.
That great theologian, George Carlin, is credited for remind us how we are far to busy to remember to live:
"The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom."
I heard a Jimmy Buffett song recently that reminded me of the dolphin and calf and how God showed me the amazing creations He puts in our path every day when we take time to look. You Parrotheads will appreciate this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxuJ-cumHh8
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