Our society has an obsessive epidemic with pulling out the "too busy" card in response to life. We proudly display our card as a sign of our significance and worth. We wear it proudly. We retrieve our card at a moment's notice.
"Can you take a meal to a sick family?"
"Oh, I would love to, but I am TOO BUSY"
During our "busyness" we become deaf to the still and gentle promptings of the Holy Spirit. Who can hear over the anthem of busyness playing in our lives?
This past week I was the recipient of the "too busy" card, as well as having paid the price for using the card myself one too many times.
January 8th, I woke to another year of my life. This birthday was just another birthday of many but today I would be the receiver and the reaper of the card. My adult children, who live close to us, were all "too busy" to come to see me. Each made a call or text to wish me Happy Birthday. As I released grace to each of them, I still felt the sting of the "too busy" card.
The next morning I woke to an email. My Uncle had died unexpectedly the morning of my birthday. I was now the reaper of the "too busy" card.
In November, we traveled to a family member's 50th Wedding Anniversary, which caused us to travel through the city of my uncle's residence. A gentle and still small nudge came from the Holy Spirit...
"on your way home, stop and see your Uncle."
"on your way home, stop and see your Uncle."
The trip became longer than I had expected. I was determined not to use the "too busy" card. We took the time to make sure we had visited with our extended family, not rushing back for prior obligations. Traffic backed up for miles, which slowed down our traveling time home. Our son repeated his need to finish a project for school. As we neared my Uncle's city, I quietly resolved that the visit wasn't going to happen. We were "too busy".
I stuffed my frustrations and told my husband to proceed through the town. I glanced out my window toward my Uncle's house situated just two miles off the highway and whispered to myself, "next time, I will make it a priority, I promise."
Next time wouldn't come. My next visit with my Uncle will be in heaven. My next trip to his town was for his funeral on Saturday. I hugged on relatives and promised to see them soon...I didn't pull out my "too busy" card.
I don't feel condemnation, I feel convicted. The "too busy" card robs us of the blessings God has for us. He knew the day of my Uncle's entry into heaven, I didn't. He gave me the last opportunity to take my two sons to see him - I, however, pulled out the "too busy" card.
Comments are closed today because this is too close to my heart! Today, I am celebrating my Uncle with a resolve to put away my "too busy" card and slow down to visit those I love and miss so much.
