Officially speaking, summer will last until September 22nd, but unofficially, I have always regarded Labor Day as the last hurrah of summer. Or better still, summer ends the minute classes for my children begin.
No longer will they have the luxury of sleeping in until the crack of noon. No longer will I be barraged by the constant complaint of “I’m bored” or “There’s nothing to do around here.” Now they have plenty to do. It’s back to school … back to studying … and (praise the Lord) back to a schedule!
Of course, the downside to all of this is that returning to the usual schedule often means returning to a schedule that is usually full. Survey after survey shows that Americans are busier than ever before. (Notice that I didn’t say “more productive”—just “busier.”) Our weekdays are filled with appointments, and our weekends are filled with activities. In a word, we are overworked … overextended … and as a result, frequently overwhelmed.
Someone lamented to me recently: “I used to have time to spend with my family. But now there just aren’t enough hours in the day anymore.” I knew what he meant, but I had to resist the temptation of pointing out that there are just as many hours in a day now as there ever have been. It’s not that our days are getting shorter; it’s that our “to do” lists are getting longer.
Which is why I’d like to share with you a prayer from Teresa of Avila, the renowned spiritual mystic and leader of an order of nuns in the 16th century:
“How is it, my God, that you have given me this hectic life and so little time to enjoy your presence? All day, people are waiting to speak to me, and even during meals I have to keep talking to people about their concerns and needs. During sleep itself I am still thinking and dreaming about the problems that wait for me tomorrow. I am doing all of this for you, not for myself. My way of life is more torment than reward, and I only hope that for you it is a gift of love. I know that you are always beside me, yet I become so busy I forget you and ignore you. If you want me to keep up this pace, please make me think about you and love you, even during the most hectic activity. If you do not want me to be so busy, please release me from it and teach me how others can take over some of my responsibilities.”
This prayer comforts me in several respects. First, it heartens me to realize that even a saintly woman such as Teresa experienced the stress and strain of being too busy. Second, I find it encouraging that apparently life was just as hectic and hurried in the 16th century as it is in ours. And finally, it reminds me to keep seeking God’s guidance whenever I am overwhelmed. In effect, we are to let go of our own busyness, so that we can attend to God’s business.
No longer will they have the luxury of sleeping in until the crack of noon. No longer will I be barraged by the constant complaint of “I’m bored” or “There’s nothing to do around here.” Now they have plenty to do. It’s back to school … back to studying … and (praise the Lord) back to a schedule!
Of course, the downside to all of this is that returning to the usual schedule often means returning to a schedule that is usually full. Survey after survey shows that Americans are busier than ever before. (Notice that I didn’t say “more productive”—just “busier.”) Our weekdays are filled with appointments, and our weekends are filled with activities. In a word, we are overworked … overextended … and as a result, frequently overwhelmed.
Someone lamented to me recently: “I used to have time to spend with my family. But now there just aren’t enough hours in the day anymore.” I knew what he meant, but I had to resist the temptation of pointing out that there are just as many hours in a day now as there ever have been. It’s not that our days are getting shorter; it’s that our “to do” lists are getting longer.
Which is why I’d like to share with you a prayer from Teresa of Avila, the renowned spiritual mystic and leader of an order of nuns in the 16th century:
“How is it, my God, that you have given me this hectic life and so little time to enjoy your presence? All day, people are waiting to speak to me, and even during meals I have to keep talking to people about their concerns and needs. During sleep itself I am still thinking and dreaming about the problems that wait for me tomorrow. I am doing all of this for you, not for myself. My way of life is more torment than reward, and I only hope that for you it is a gift of love. I know that you are always beside me, yet I become so busy I forget you and ignore you. If you want me to keep up this pace, please make me think about you and love you, even during the most hectic activity. If you do not want me to be so busy, please release me from it and teach me how others can take over some of my responsibilities.”
This prayer comforts me in several respects. First, it heartens me to realize that even a saintly woman such as Teresa experienced the stress and strain of being too busy. Second, I find it encouraging that apparently life was just as hectic and hurried in the 16th century as it is in ours. And finally, it reminds me to keep seeking God’s guidance whenever I am overwhelmed. In effect, we are to let go of our own busyness, so that we can attend to God’s business.
posted by Dr. Robert Crilley at
8:17 PM
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