Running Around Headless

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Eph. 5:15-17

Sometimes I feel like I'm running around like a chicken without a head. (It's really kind of ridiculous to butcher chickens and let them run around. It's much more efficient and tidy to tie them upside down to a fence pole before you decapitate them.) Today, in particular, was busy. We started the morning with breakfast with Bill (a Monday morning ritual), walked down to the pre-school playgroup, walked up to the house to lunch, rode our bikes to the school for Bible study, caught a ride to cut out art projects for a friend, dressed for work, grabbed a nectarine on my way out the door and walked back down the hill to serve tacos.

This morning, I heard a mom at playgroup comment about how she always feels busy but doesn't really know what she's busy with, but that it's ok because at least she's busy.

Do you ever hear things or see things and think "NOOOOOOOO!"

Thankfully, I didn't say that. How easy is it to spend your life buying groceries, paying bills, running errands, without actually living in a direction? Let's practice a little self-awareness here. All of the things you're doing, you can think about too. At the restaurant, for example, I could just do. I could take plates, take orders, take money, sweep, wipe down tables, sounds like what I'm being paid to do, but it would sort of be running around headless. It would be so much more profitable if I kept tabs on what supplies needed re-stocking, made fruit mixes in my spare time, and tried to make my trips to and from the kitchen the most efficient possible. I could figure out the best way to keep multiple food orders organized in my head without using pen and paper. I could hone my restaurant intuition and practice some self-reflection on how I could improve my customer service skills.

I'm sure, as a mom to a three year old, this woman does plenty of changing diapers, wiping noses, and trying to keep up with household things. I'm not downing her for being busy or seeing life as a blur, but I wanted to tell her not to let her life just go. Before she knows it, Jay is going to be 10 and his values and intellect are going to be well on their way to being fully formed. If she doesn't "take life by the horns" (thank you, Chevy), she might get to the end of these years and find some regrets. As a very goal oriented person, I think everyone should have purpose statements for things. This might be a little silly, but I feel like it keeps expectations organized and minimizes disappointment and miscommunication…

Purpose statement for going out to dinner: try new food, don't feel stuffed when you walk out the door

Purpose statement for going to the store: buy apricot jam, red bell peppers and coffee

Purpose statement for my next road trip: stay alive, stay within the budget, have a blast

Purpose statement for parenting a 3 year old: teach him French, teach him to throw a baseball, teach him that Jesus loves him

SG and I could get really busy saying yes to every offer we get. Let me tell you, we've had some great offers - come spend the night outside for a homeless fundraiser, come hang out with youth and eat icecream, come see this art gallery… and we could just run around saying yes to things without thinking about them, but where would that get us? Tired and having accomplished a lot of random things. We have had to have several conversations, and continue to, about how we use our time in Australia. What is it that God has gifted us in? What has He put us in Australia to do? Are the things we're doing things that are making Jesus bigger and us smaller? These are just some of the questions we have to ask as we figure out how in the world we are supposed to "walk as wise" chicks in a very busy place.

Love from a busy and happy LMS