Overwhelmed
For when you’re overwhelmed
The last few months have been—in a word—overwhelming.
In general, I’m very diligent about my calendar and not putting too much on it. And yet sometimes it just gets away from me. A few things converged to create this flurry of activity:
- First, a desire to extend and accept invitations to/from new friends in order to build relationships after relocating. It’s been a year since we moved back to Colorado, but cultivating friendships takes time. We’ve tried to make the most of every weekend as an opportunity to create touchpoints with new friends. (Plus, we’ve enjoyed being able to see our family and “old” Boulder friends as often as possible.)
- Second, a series of wonderful family milestones: both of our daughters had graduations that we attended out of town, my in-laws marked their 60th wedding anniversary (amazing!), and we buried a loved one. Plus, there were two personal trips “just for fun” and a couple of houseguests mixed in.
- Third, a big uptick in work travel that sent me across the country in both directions for several consecutive weeks. (I do not know how people travel every week for work… it’s exhausting to me! But I’m eager for a work trip to Boise at the end of the month—I’ll sneak in some Idaho fun while I’m there.)
As you can see, with the exception of burying my uncle, every item on calendar over the last few months has been good. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss out on any of it.
Read MoreServing a better master: trading busy for rest
As a business owner, I wear many hats. (Actually, I wear all the hats because I don’t have employees.) Like all of you who work in the home or out in the marketplace or ministry, that means there’s always a task that needs doing.
Always.
So, we continue “doing.” The alluring idea of getting ahead of our tasks list (or merely caught up), coupled with devices that make work accessible anywhere, anytime, causes us to work incessantly. But “ahead” and “caught up” are mirages that elude us from the distant horizon.
Perhaps you, like me, enjoy (or are addicted to?) productivity and relish in goal-setting sessions and achievement—all of which make resting a challenge. Yet an inability to rest and take breaks from work makes for a life equivalent to that of an indentured servant, subject to the masters of
- materialism,
- a need for success (as a “perfect” parent or star performer at work),
- the reputational currency of being busy, or
- the exacting requirements of our managers and bosses.
But God doesn’t want us to be enslaved to anything but righteousness and His love:
Read MoreTrying again: Faithful perseverance in seasons of difficulty
We’re sitting amidst another COVID spike, wondering, perhaps, whether we’ll ever clear this thing. I’m not an epidemiologist (and I don’t even play one on TV) but I do see something in the Bible that might be helpful right now—whether you’re frustrated with COVID or dealing with an entirely different challenge.
I wrote earlier this year on some applications from Noah and the account of the flood. I recently revisited the same passage and saw something new:
Noah released a bird four separate times as the waters began to recede.
Four.
Only on the fourth time did the dove not return, serving as evidence that soon the land would again be dry and inhabitable.
Whether you are
- grappling with the fits and starts of a new business venture,
- launching your children into the world,
- taking on a new role in the workplace,
- making friends in a new hometown,
- or merely antsy for a post-pandemic reality…
A prayer for heavy hearts and troubled minds
The last few weeks have been a wild ride for my household—in every way, shape, and form. Two kids off to their college experiences (altered as they may be), and one going back to school part-time in person. Shifts in our professional landscapes. Spiritual challenges. And health procedures… to name just a few.
It got the best of me the other day. I ended up in a heap of tears. And when that happens I’m honestly not much good at praying… the words just get tangled up in sobs.
Read MoreHow Christians can respond to COVID-19
What guidance does the Bible have to offer us in the midst of a pandemic?
How should Christians respond to the challenges presented by COVID-19? When (and how) will this resolve? We’ve all got far more questions than answers. The novel coronavirus isn’t specifically addressed in Scripture. But the Bible does offer the timeless, applicable wisdom we need–even for the situation we face.
I’ve been reading (and writing!) my way through the book of Genesis this summer. Noah’s “quarantine” in the ark in chapter eight felt oddly relatable (though I am not drawing a comparison between the flood and the coronavirus). So, I determined to follow his lead and discovered some practical nuggets that will help us continue to weather our current circumstances.
Read MoreA vital key to time management and overall health (and great speaking)
I spent the month of June recovering from an emergency appendectomy. Apart from childbirth and a relatively uncomplicated shoulder surgery, I’ve never really been “laid up” before. In some ways it has been a welcome, though forced, slowing of my natural rhythms. In other ways, it’s been a downright nuisance (e.g., surgical pain).
Post-surgical instructions included resting and not lifting more than 30lbs. for 30 days. I’m not allowed to do anything strenuous and even walking can’t be on much of an incline. So, I’ve curtailed all my professional tasks, allowed myself to rest when needed, and moseyed my way around the flat sections of my neighborhood for the last several weeks. Read More
Take note (you’ll be glad you did)
I had completely forgotten about it.
It wasn’t until I cleaned out a few desk drawers that I found it again, buried amongst scraps of paper and some expired coupons (I’ve just never mastered that coupon thing…). The notecard was from a retreat I attended several years ago. During one of the personal moments of reflection, we were assigned to write a note to ourselves from Jesus addressing whatever challenge we were experiencing at that moment. I unfolded the pink-striped paper and found a fresh gift, a loving dose of encouragement. I hope they offer you the same:
More room for joy at Christmas
Joy. It’s a popular word this time of year.
It’s printed on pillows, formed into stocking hangers, and a common refrain in Christmas music.
We want joy. Yet many of us lament we don’t feel joyful during December.
I think the problem is we’re all a lot like the innkeeper in Luke 2, who had no room to offer Mary and Joseph. Thus, our savior was born in a stable and bedded down in a feeding trough. Read More
Authenticity: Rising tide lifts all boats
I wasn’t sure I wanted to “share.”
I knew the tears would well up in my eyes. (Insert cursory feminine joke about mascara here.) And I haven’t known these women for very long, so tipping my emotional cards felt (extra) risky. We were discussing hypocrisy in the Christian life and how our social masks put an intimacy barrier between us and others. My story was relevant to the topic and even illustrated the point, all while pressing on tender parts of my heart.
I did open myself up and was met with compassionate responses. We talked more about how putting ourselves “out there” often invites community, builds friendship, Read More
First Things (and how to cope with summer)
Summer is hard. Wonderful, but hard.
I find myself frustrated by needing to accomplish the same things I do during the school year days (client deadlines, etc.), but wanting (and needing) to spend the time with the kids. Result: this productivity junkie is getting very little done.
After reading multiple articles on how crippling perfectionism is to productivity, I’ve had to coach myself to use the 20 minute gaps of time interspersed within my days because I won’t have two uninterrupted hours. Instead of waiting until I have “enough time” to do something well (read: perfectly), I need to do what I can with the time I have.
This has necessitated solidifying my priorities… knowing well which things are most deserving of those precious minutes. Reading 2 Chronicles put another (more important) layer atop my understanding: Read More