Hurry Up and Wait

This week was a lot of me hurrying up only to have to wait anyway. I drank no Red Bulls and instead fueled my body with tea, lots of water and salads for lunch. I am getting a lot better at taking care of myself and continuing to slow things down. However, every now and then “speed” rears its ugly head, and I move back into the momentum of “things are getting done…I’m checking things off of my list”. I have to admit it’s kind of exhilarating.

This week was busier than usual, with new systems being implemented at work calling me to work longer hours. I finished off the week with a 13 hour day. I came home and looked forward to my much deserved rest only to wake up to feeling exhausted on Saturday morning. I went back to sleep and did not wake up until 5pm. I am grateful I knew enough to let my body rest, and I was glad I did.

Hurry up and wait comes out in many areas of our lives. It’s like when the car behind you weaves in and out of traffic only to end up at the same light waiting with you. Or, where you’re in the grocery store and you rush to check all the lanes in order to pick just the right lane with one less person in it…only to have the cashier need to do a price check and now you’re waiting anyway. Or, when you drive around the parking lot looking aimlessly for a closer spot to only notice the person that parked in the back spot is already walking through the entrance. It makes you wonder if this hurrying up is really helping us. We usually have to wait anyway and sometimes we save a few minutes here or there but what are we sacrificing in the interim.

I know that when I look for that closer spot, weave in and out of traffic, or find the shortest line that all I have accomplished was revving up my anxiety level — a.k.a. stress myself out. I think we all have a certain amount of energy that we have to work with on a daily basis and it’s up to us to replenish it, manage it and decide how we are going to wisely use it. We exert energy when we work, drive, cook, think, etc. Often times, I have found myself wasting up a lot of my energy worrying about things I cannot even change by worrying. The bible says in Matthew 6: 27 “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his lifespan?”.

My faith helps me tremendously with how I handle worry and anxiety. I have been a lot calmer these days as I have grown in my relationship with Jesus Christ. I have ventured through some tough terrain that God had helped take me through triumphantly. As I have been trusting God more I have been grabbing less for my Red Bull or sugar substitute to sustain my energy. I have found comfort in remembering God’s word.

I appreciate you taking this journey with me, as I venture into another blessed-filled week. Wishing you all many blessings and I look forward to sharing some of my thoughts next week!

”Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.” Maya Angelou

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”Socrates