Signing Off

This week my wife and I are attending a retreat, and then we will spend time with her family at a wedding. In the midst of it all we plan on working in some time on the beach and finding that elusive thing we call “rest.”

This is something that I have learned to love deeply. But it did not (and at times still does not) come easy. There are people I know who always want to be an exception to the rule of unplugging. They are able to find some reason why if they are not connected something will go wrong.

I recognize there are some reasons every now and then that do not allow everyone to disengage, but perhaps we are guilty of finding many reasons rather than having a good reason.

It is rare that I speak with anyone anymore who doesn’t feel busy, short on time, in a hurry or has any free time. We have created technology to allow us to do things faster than ever, yet we still cannot find anytime to everything we want, especially rest.

One of the disciplines I am learning is to schedule times like this. Not just once in a while, but daily, weekly, monthly and yearly. Many people assume I am busy because I have limited availability, but the truth is something different.

If I get too busy I, like everyone, get stressed, filled with anxiety, cranky, and uptight. So I schedule myself to not be busy. In doing this I am more present and centered when I do meet with others. Does it work perfectly? No. But the more I practice this the more I see the times I am getting too busy, which alerts me to slow down.

We must all come to grips with the fact that the sun will go on rising or setting without us. God is pleased when we serve him, but he is not on pins and needles wondering what he would do if we didn’t squeeze in that one last appointment.

As I sign off for the week, may you see that you can find rest and renewal. May you unplug and truly see your friends, family and this miraculous world of ours. May you break the cord of the electronic tether and find the freedom of not being busy.