Does anyone remember watching Looney Tunes when they were younger? Yes, I’ll admit I was so excited when my girls got into them, because I had an excuse to watch them again. I get it now, dad. My daddy loved Saturday morning cartoons, and I can vividly remember him laughing at Wylie Coyote and the Roadrunner episodes. Awww Wylie…
I relate to the poor guy, because lately I feel like I’ve been running nonstop trying to catch the Holy Spirit. I even think there’s part of me that felt clever and crafty in my attempts to take hold and spend time with God on my terms. Jeez, that sounds awful as I type, but it’s true. A couple weeks ago, it dawned on me that my calendar is literally scheduled into 15-minute increments. Are.You.Kidding.Me? Yet, when I set those meetings and time commitments, it felt completely natural for me to say, “Yes! I can do that.” What resulted was boxing God into a time slot on my calendar. That’s no bueno!
Jen Hatmaker’s 7 was recommended to a while back, and I finally bought it prior to a road trip we were taking a couple weeks ago. I couldn’t wait to get in the car, turn off my phone and just soak up something that I really wanted to read. Four hours later, the word “convicted” shown like a bright neon sign across my chest.
No, I didn’t feel urged to follow in the footsteps of Jen’s experiment, but I definitely got the message that I was just as guilty of buying into our culture of excess. My problem? My time. What I thought was clever planning on my part turned out to be an overscheduled wife, mom and daughter of Christ who internally felt very fractured to the point that I felt like I wasn’t doing anything with my whole heart.
That’s why you haven’t heard from me in a while, friends. I’ve been trying to schedule time to write. The Big Guy has probably shaken his head numerous times and wondered, “When will my daughter learn?” Riding in the car to Louisiana, I finally caught the Holy Spirit. As it turns out, I was the one running—and not even intentionally. I found myself playing the part of the Roadrunner, not Wylie.
Oh, mamas. Some of our business can’t be helped. Why? Because we are wives. We are moms. We live in a world that moves at mach speed and expects us to keep up. Having full schedules isn’t the problem, though, is it? At least, it’s not for me. My challenge is setting healthy boundaries and learning not to overfill my plate so that there’s no room for God.
After reading 7, I hung my head with remorse and told God, “I don’t need all this on my plate, Lord. Help me make room for you.” I was ready to hit the reset button, and I needed God’s help to do it. We all need God’s help to set boundaries and not get caught up in the crazy culture of excess and busyness.
We need moments of stillness, friends. Psalm 46:10 tells us to “Be still, and know that I am God.” Amen! How can we serve if we don’t take time to listen when God calls? Convicted. That’s me.
I’m a repeat offender, too. I am part of God’s recovery program for over schedulers. Pray with me, ladies. Pray with me that we may all recognize the need to be still—regularly and not as a time slot on our calendars. Pray with me that we may all set wonderful examples for our daughters that they may learn the importance of being still and quiet—that they may bask as they commune with the Lord our God. Pray with me that our children will not fall victim to this world of excess. Rather they will place value and merit on what is inside the hearts of others. Pray with me.
