Man, Life Sure is BUSY!

"The disciples gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even get a chance to eat, Jesus said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So, they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place."

Mark 6:30-32

I shared with a group of ladies I was speaking to last Saturday that for me - May has been just as busy as the Christmas Season! We've had awards day, field day, spring music programs and graduations --- along with soccer games, cheerleading tryouts and a trip to the ER!! The trip to the hospital has been one of many for little Jamison - he is fine, just ALL BOY!!!!

So in the midst of all this craziness - I've got to share a story with you. This story didn't happen this month - but it was another "season" where life was just in sane and how my oldest daughter is scarred for life due to her mother's scattered brain!!

I have two girls, my 2nd grade daughter, Savannah who attends an elementary school close to home and a 6 year old daughter, Cassidy who was in a pre-K class at another elementary school.

So two girls, two separate schools, but in the same county. And – every year the schools have a county wide drug free week called Red Ribbon Week. And during the course of this week the kids get to wear something different and fun each day (like silly unmatched socks, sunglasses and so on.).


So – I receive my two notes from each school explaining the week’s dress code. Some days the girls dress the same and some days are different. You guys know where this is headed I’m sure!

Ok – it had been an unusual week and I had been doing a pretty good balancing act until Thursday. That’s when Cassidy (my younger daughter) and then my baby boy came down with a stomach bug at the same time!! So – I’m rushing around on Thursday knowing that it’s going to be a long night. I’m getting as much prepared for Friday as I can. So –I look at the paper telling me what Savannah is to wear on Friday and it’s called “Wacky Tacky Day”. Which means, you are to purposefully not match any of your clothes. The crazier and more mismatched the better.

Well, I yell upstairs to Savannah so she can help me by finding her own clothes -- and she has a blast in her closet finding the coolest mismatched outfit she can find for the next day. Stuff like that is really up her ally. She has a red sock, a blue sock, a green paisley skirt, an orange shirt and has laid out some eccentric hair accessories.



I was right, Thursday night was horrible. I’ve had zero sleep and I’m driving Savannah to school in a daze and as she gets out of the car --- I think, “Uuh – That’s strange. Not many kids dressed up today.” and I’m off!

And it was not until oh – 15 min. before Savannah was to get off the bus that afternoon, while I was disinfecting our kitchen – I really stopped and looked at the Red Ribbon Week schedule posted on my fridge and I could have died!! You guessed it. It was not “Wacky Tacky Day” at Savannah’s school. It was sports apparel day. “Wacky Tacky Day” was at Cassidy’s school, but she was sick so didn’t go to school that day. And, to make things worse for Savannah --- they had an assembly in the gym for the entire school K-5th grade. And she was the line leader for her grade and had to walk in front of everyone around their gymnasium.

It was an honest mistake, but one that was made because I was overwhelmed, rushed, frustrated and didn’t even slow down enough to read the correct sheet of paper posted right on my refrigerator.


Now, I could maybe get away with saying I had sick babies and that could happen to anyone (trying to make myself feel better). But, the truth of the matter is my calendar of craziness the Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday before my babies were sick on Thursday was the root of the problem. Because I had so many things crammed in to my schedule for the entire week – when the unexpected happened – the bottom fell out!

It takes tremendous faith, discipline and persistence to manage our time and MAKE time to rest from our assigned daily activities. In Mark, we see the disciples doing GOOD things. But, they are so busy they don't even get a chance to eat!! It takes the wisdom of Jesus to come along side them and say - He guys, what you are doing is great. But it's time to come away with Me to a quiet place and rest.


The truth is, our stress level increases with our effort to do more and be more. With an increased drive to “get it all done,” we’re paying a high price. And we actually reduce our ability to accomplish tasks efficiently. It gets increasingly difficult to make decisions and takes longer to complete even simple tasks. We get forgetful and easily distracted, along with becoming just plain worn out!

On your list of "To Do's" for Today - did you make time to rest with Jesus?