Rush and Rush
In the early 90’s Alabama recorded a song, I’m in a Hurry. The lyrics were so true of how I was living; I often felt that I was running about like a chicken with my head cut off. (One of Mom’s favorite phrases to describe situations in life.)Never slowing down, also rush, rush.
Growing up, one of my favorite musical groups was Alabama. They are one of the few bands I have seen in concert. Mom surprised us with tickets one Christmas. This was the olden days when people flicked their Bics instead of using a cell phone as they swayed along with the songs. My sisters and cousins sang along to Tennessee River and Old Flame soaking up every moment of the experience.
I’m in a hurry to get things done
Oh, I rush and rush until life’s no fun.
All I really gotta do is live and die
But I’m in and hurry and don’t know why.
-Alabama Song
A Sign of Weakness?
Many people have no desire to slow down, even saying, “I’ll slow down when I die”. My daughters were this way when they were younger. In the back seat, they sat tired from the days activities. Their exhaustion resulted in biting each others’ heads off! (Yep, one of Mom’s favorite sayings). I would say, “Y’all need to take a nap today.” They would reply in union, “I’m not tired.”
As they aged, often I felt beaten down with work, their extra after school hustle, and church activities. There were times when all I felt like I was doing was rushing from one place to another. Sometimes while I was driving, clothes were flying from their bodies as they slid from their school clothes into their basketball jerseys. Simultaneously, they inhaled chicken nuggets and fries.
Too Much
Even alone, I felt the need to rush. I would stand in the grocery line, sit in the doctor’s office, and even idle at a red light thinking, “Hurry, hurry, I have somewhere I had to be, or something to do!” I spent these moments in near panic, fearing being late or unprepared.
The anxiety that accompanied this fret was seriously real for me. God love my girls having been the recipients of my snapping words, which had to have hurt their little hearts. What concept of time did they have?
Tired and overwhelmed by my hurrying around to get things, my life wasn’t much fun. In fact, my life was becoming more and more hectic filled with more and more stress.
Trying to do things by myself only left me going through the motions of life. Oh, If I could relive these days knowing what I know now, my life would have been much more calm.
Not Alone
I believed I had to accomplish everything before I could stop. My own power source is not enough; I needed to be recharged!
Be still and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10
Knowing this verse and living it are two separate things. I did not even try to be still very often Yet, I was on pause so often. I could have been plugging up and recharging during those times.
- Braking at the red light, I could have been praying
- Sitting in the doctor’s office, I could have been made a mental list of ten reasons to praise Him
- Standing in the grocery line, I could have prayed for a friend
- Waiting in the car for the girls, I could have been reading a devotional from the book tucked under my seat or from my phone
For our God desires our lives to be more than rushing around until life’s no fun. This is accomplished not on our own, but with His aid. He is the battery from which we must recharge.
“Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.” Proverbs 19:2
road Street, I glanced up at the courthouse clock, and to my surprise, the hands were gone. That’s what we all need sometimes: a clock without hands. We need no rushing, and no time restraints. Of course in our fast-paced world that’s not really possible. We have jobs, family, obligations and many other things that require us to follow a clock. But I am trying to take a few minutes each day to look around and what God has given.