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Monday, March 25, 2013

Stop the Glorification of Busy


I saw this quote on Facebook the other day---the cementing of all kinds of thoughts that had been swirling around my mind in regard to the subject.  

Are you staying busy?  

Have you ever been greeted that way by someone in passing?  I have and, for me, it's kind of awkward.  What am I supposed to say?  If I say no, they'll think I'm lazy and boring.  If I say yes, I'll be exaggerating the truth.

I try really hard not to stay busy.  In fact, my new year resolution for the last two years has been to avoid any outside activity that makes me feel overwhelmed, stressed, or too busy.

When I say outside activity, I mean anything that doesn't fall within my obvious, God-given role as a wife and mother.  So, field trips, ministry teams, and play dates are subject to avoidance---laundry, conversations with husband, and meal prep are not.

We often feel obligated to be busy.  We feel guilty if we can't account for our time.  Schools give kids busy work because teachers will feel guilty if they just send the faster-working kid outside to play while the others finish up.  Oh yeah, and it's against The Rules.

You've heard the phrase, "stop and smell the roses."  Have you ever done it?  This morning I took five minutes and sat on my porch with my eyes closed, listening to the birds and the river, and praying.  I feel really refreshed. Now I've got four babies making noise in the background, and will have nine kids up wanting breakfast any minute now, (I hear footsteps on the stairs) but I am going to handle this day way better because I stopped to be filled first.  

(Before you start imagining I live in some idyllic meadow and begin lamenting your lack of birds, a river, and a quiet porch, understand that mine is smack in the middle of the busy downtown.  Loud, obnoxious people, stinky diesel trucks, and blowing garbage abound.  But, like mom says, you make your own happiness.)

What is being gained from your busyness?  Kids are up now so I gotta make this short.  Basically there's one test to be sure you're busy for the right reasons.  If it doesn't fall within your specific, God-given role and it's not going to bring eternal good, then it's eligible for the chopping block.  

This post was published in The Christian Home Magazine, Issue #106.

Thank you to Judith from WholeHearted Home for featuring this post!

Linking with:

Wisdom Wednesdays @Simply Helping Him
Winsome Wednesday @ My Daily Walk in His Grace
Whole-Hearted Home Wednesdays 
Encourage One Another @ Deep Roots at Home
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Homemaking Link Up @ Raising Homemakers
Inspire Me Wednesday @ MamaBuzz
Simple Living Wednesdays @ Our Simple Farm
Sheltering Linkup @ A Sheltering Tree
Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherine's Corner
Legacy Leaver Thursday @ Leaving a Legacy
Thriving Thursday @ Serving Joyfully
Homeacre Hop 
Desire to Inspire @ A Royal Daughter
Think Tank Thursday @ Saving4Six 
Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home 
Open House @ Bernideen's Tea Time Blog 
Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
Inspiration Friday @ Dear Creatives
Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home
Family Fun Friday @ Moms and Munchkins 
Family Fun Friday @ Happy and Blessed Home
Farm Girl Friday @ Let This Mind Be In You
Fit & Frugal Family Friday
Show and Tell Saturday @ Be Different, Act Normal
Or So She Says...
Show and Tell Saturday @ Sassy Little Lady 
Finding the Pretty & Delicious @ Your Homebased Mom
30 Min. Linkup @ 30 Days
Sharing Creative Ideas @ Made By Joey
Sunday Showcase Party@Under the Table and Dreaming 
Sundae Scoop @ I heart nap time
The Creative Homemaker Hop 
One More Time
Motivate Me Monday 
What's In the Gunny Sack? 
Modest Monday @ The Modest Mom 
Make the Scene Monday @ Alderberry Hill 
Inspire Me Monday @ Create With Joy 
Masterpiece Monday @ BoogieBoard Cottage 
A Round Tuit @ Creating My Way to Success 
Monday Funday @ C.R.A.F.T. 
Mondays with Countrified Hicks
Manic Monday @ Cupcake-n-Bake
A Return to Loveliness @ A Delightsome Life
Cottage Style Party @ Lavender Garden Cottage 
Teach Me Tuesday @ Growing Home
Tutorial Tuesdays with Hope Studios
Courtship Connection
Women Helping Women @ Teaching What Is Good 
Domestically Divine @ Far Above Rubies
(Titus 2)s Days @ Time Warp Wife
Tending the Home Tuesday
The Bliss Project Linkup @ Grace-Full Intentions
What Up?! Wednesday @ Frugal Fit Family   

28 comments:

  1. Yes, I agree! AMEN, AMEN!!!
    Have a blessed and NOT BUSY week..I know I will!
    FABBY

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  2. Amen to avoiding outside activity that makes you too busy! Great differentiation of what's truly necessary.

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  3. This is something I need to work on. I tend to "keep busy". Thank you for the reminder! =)

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  4. Just re- found your blog and what a wonderful day to find it!! Love this- so very important!!
    Thanks and have a beautiful day!!
    Blessings,Rain

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  5. Wonderful advice! I so wish it was not an ideal in our culture to be busy. It causes so much trouble. I worked very hard last year to NOT be busy, to not commit to anything extra, to see how God wanted to shake out my new life stage (my youngest child had just left for college). It was so refreshing to feel I finally had "spare" time! Now that 2013 is here, I've tacked on a few new weekly things, but I've felt good about them and not compelled to do them. God is good! Thanks for sharing this post.

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  6. Love this! You are absolutely right. I got caught up in the "busy circle" when my kids were young and never want to do that again.

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  7. Amen! I was told growing up that it was a SIN to be busy on the Lord's Day (with anything but Church, anyway) - but in our modern culture, that Day has been swallowed up by the "virtue" of busy-ness.

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  8. Good for you for being honest and addressing that comment!!! I love your thoughts, they are right on!!!

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  9. This has been a season of seek rest, and avoiding the craze of being constantly busy. It has strengthened my walk with the Lord, and my relationship with my husband.

    Thanks for linking up to Desire to Inspire!

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  10. Love your response! Sometimes I feel so tired and run down that I would love to just sit and relax, but feel as if I should be doing something.
    Your advice makes me want to sit and sip that cup of tea and smile. Ahhh...
    Hugs,
    Patti

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  11. As I have gotten older, it seems that the only things that really matter are the people I love and everything else is just a distraction. To imagine a person from say 1840 finding anything we do in this modern world as important it would be an interesting view for sure. Great post!
    Sherry

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  12. Gosh, I'm busy no matter what I do :) But I do take time to relax with my family every evening.
    Thanks for sharing this on The HomeAcre Hop! See you Thursday on the next hop!
    http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2013/04/the-homeacre-hop-13.html

    We'll be announcing a new giveaway!

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  13. It's so funny how busyness has become a sort of status symbol in today's society... Like, you're not being productive unless you're going ninety-to-nothing all. the. time! But, you're absolutely right, we need to allow our God-given roles to remain front and center, while more carefully filtering our other "commitments".

    Thanks for joining this week s Bliss Project.
    http://www.domesticblissdiaries.com

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  14. Amen. Busy is not a virtue! Thanks for linking this up this week.

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  15. I had to check out this post when I saw you linked up at Hope Studios because this is one of my favorite quotes. There seems to be a competition to see who can participate in the most activities and sign their children up for the most extracurriculars. Taking time to enjoy life, be the best mom and wife possible, and built relationships with God and others is never something we should be ashamed about.

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  16. Yes Sarah, we all do need to stop and smell the roses. There are so many children in our area that are involved in so many sports that they have little time for anything else. I love sports, but everything needs to be in moderation. Spring time is my favorite season and one of my favorite things to do almost daily is to stroll my garden in the morning. I am always in awe of the beauty that God has given us to enjoy. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  17. Thank you so much sharing this over at WholeHearted Home.

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  18. I like this post! Its not wrong for us to focus on the our primary responsibilities and be awesome at them!

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  19. I like this post! Its not wrong for us to focus on the our primary responsibilities and be awesome at them!

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  20. I like this post! Its not wrong for us to focus on the our primary responsibilities and be awesome at them!

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  21. You are so right. While we have fun being out as a family..some of the most meaningful things happen when we are simply doing nothing at all!

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  22. I definitely think being busy has become an "honor" to a lot of people. And you're right, we need to slow down and evaluate what is keeping us busy.

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  23. Yes. Doing has replaced being in our society. We have to make a conscious effort to be different.

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  24. Thank you for sharing your post on The Creative HomeAcre Hop!
    I hope to see you back tomorrow for our next hop!
    http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2013/04/the-creative-homeacre-10.html

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  25. It is definitely better to be at Jesus's feet. I am thankful that God would rather have a close relationship with us than see us overly busy - too busy for Him - with good works.

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  26. I really needed to read that! Such simple wisdom and yet it's so easy to forget to slow down and realize it's okay to say no to some things. Thanks for sharing this post!

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  27. Making a list of things that are eligible for the chopping block. Thanks for the great post!

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Mrs. Sarah Coller

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