Too Busy

Life is so busy.  Most of us try to juggle so many things in life we seem to have more things to do than time to do them.  Work.  We have to do that.  But then there is play, household obligations, all the other things we do with our families, with our spouse, with our friends or by our self. At the end of the month we wonder where all the time went.

It is hard to order our life and manage to get in all we want to do.  Maybe the problem is that we just want to do too much.  People say they want a more simple life, but I don’t think that’s usually true.  It is easy to get a simpler life, you just cut back.  You cut out a bunch of things you are doing and life becomes much more manageable.  No, the problem is we want to do it all, as much as we can, and so life gets complicated and time rushes past like an out of control train.  The solution I have found is to put my appointment calendar, my wants and desires, in to someone else’s hands.  I have given it all to Jesus.  Yes, I know that sounds rather simplistic, but it really is what I have done.  I prayerfully ask the Lord to order my day and order my life.  And I mean that.  I don't mean I ask Him to bless all that I want to do, I ask Him what I should be doing.  I ask Him if I need to cut out some of the things I like doing and if I should be doing other things.  I really want Jesus to order my life and I have found He will if I honestly allow Him to do it.

Usually we go to God in prayer and ask Him to bless what we have already decided we are going to do.  Why not do the opposite?  Why not go to Jesus and ask if you should be doing the things you are doing?  Why not pray and ask if you should stop some of the activities you currently have?  Go through them, one by one, and ask the Lord to help you make the decisions.  Ask what He wants.  It comes down to trust.  Do I really believe that Jesus loves me so much I can trust every aspect of my life to Him?  Me?  I trust Him.

Slowing Down

If you are an active person it is tough to slow down.  My shoulder blade was broken in the middle of February and here it is nearing May and I still can’t do all the things I want to do.  As a matter of fact, the bone hasn’t even fully healed so I can’t even start physiotherapy.  My life has slowed down.

It is strange to be less active than normal.  It was strange to watch Sandra go skiing with our friends while I stayed home.  It is strange to have to ask for help to do rather simple tasks because I can’t lift anything heavy unless I can do it with one arm.  When things suddenly change, what do you do?  I guess you can get angry, or depressed or go into fits of rage.  In my case, I haven’t done any of those things.  I have simply slowed down and am taking it easy.  I have managed to adjust and I am happy.  Yes, I am looking forward to when things are back to normal.  I am looking forward to being able to start physiotherapy.  I have faced the fact there won’t be any overnight backpacking trips this summer, but that’s okay, I’ll go on day hikes this year. 

You know what, Jesus knows all about my broken shoulder and He is in control.  I am happy to be His child and trust Him with each day.  I really am content and joyous, not angry or frustrated.  That, certainly, is the Holy Spirit working in me, not my usual nature.  And I am truly thankful to not be in pain, another answer to prayer.

The Unexpected

Life flows gently along, everything passes as it normally does, then, suddenly, the unexpected happens.  Everything changes.  It may be good, it may be bad, maybe it’s just different.  In those totally, unexpected moments, what do you do?  How do you feel?

I had an accident while skiing in February.  No, I didn’t fall, I didn’t do anything.  I was teaching a ski lesson when an out-of-control snowboarder slammed into me from behind.  I was instantly thrown into the air and before I knew it was on the ground, immobile.  I couldn’t breathe.  There was so much pain.  It took place so fast I wasn’t even sure what had happened.  A trip down the mountain on a backboard in a toboggan, an ambulance ride, hours in an emergency ward.  X-rays, a CT scan, doctors appointments.  A broken scapula (shoulder) and many cracked ribs.  Bruises everywhere.  I hurt.  But surprisingly I was happy, joyous.  I was still alive.  I didn’t have a broken back as everyone thought at first.  I was not paralysed.  I will heal, I will have months of physiotherapy, but I will be okay.  God is good.

How do we see life?  Are we victims of circumstance? Victims of all that happens around us?  Or do we let the Lord Jesus use everything for His glory.  Do we praise Him for each breath we take?  I don’t like pain, I don’t like the thought of months of therapy, but I am thankful I am still walking and thank the Lord for protecting me from worse injury.  He is always good.  He is our tender Shepherd.

Winter Storms

We're away from home, a long away.  Warm, rainy, no snow, no cold.  At home it is snowing, blowing and cold.  Our adult daughter is at home, going to and from work in the snow.  She's looking after the house and having to shovel snow morning and night to keep up with it.  To be honest, I would rather be home, enjoying the skiing, even shovelling the snow.  I love snow.

Okay, so I’m a bit strange, loving snow and cold.  But I do.  Everyone’s different and I am a winter lover.  I am one of those people who tolerate summer but live for winter.  There are a few of us around!  Others want a nice, sunny, warm winter vacation in the tropics.  I want a nice, snowy winter vacation at a ski resort.  If I have to go to the tropics, let it be in May or June. 

Right now work has taken me a long way south, but at home it is freezing cold.  I feel for our daughter who is shovelling snow, driving in deep snow and suffering in frigid temperatures.  I am a bit concerned for her and for our house.  We live in a place where it doesn’t usually get very cold so the house isn’t as well insulated as are homes in other parts of Canada.  I’m thousands of kilometres away so all I can do is leave everything in the hands of my wonderful Lord.  What a great place to leave all my cares and concerns.