The most purposeful people I know rarely overmanage time, and when they do it’s usually because they’re lapsing into drivenness, into a loss of purpose for which they overcompensate with mere busyness. No, the distinguishing mark of the purposeful is not time management.
It’s that they notice. They’re fully awake.
Jesus, for example. He lived life with the clearest and highest purpose. Yet he veered and strayed from one interruption to the next, with no apparent plan in hand other than his single, overarching one: get to Jerusalem and die. Otherwise, his days, as far as we can figure, were a series of zigzags and detours, apparent whims and second thoughts, interruptions and delays, off-the-cuff plans, spur-of-the-moment decisions, leisurely meals, serendipitous rounds of storytelling . . .
. . . he went around doing good . . .
So that’s it, the sum of Christ’s earthly vocation: he wandered and he blessed. He was a physician vagabond. He was the original doctor without borders. His purpose was crystallized, but his method almost scatter-shot . . .
No, Jesus didn’t seem to keep time. But he noticed.
~ Mark Buchanan, The Rest of God: Restoring Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath
What have YOU noticed recently?
In the stillness,
Sandy
Welcome to the Still Saturday Community where we pause after a busy week, move in quiet pilgrimage, maybe linger a while in some still place, and soak in the beauty of images and reflect on the depth of sparse words. We’d love for you to join us. Grab the button and link up below. We all love to hear if something especially speaks to your heart, but please don’t feel pressured to comment. Simply take some time to be still together, to gaze long and drink deep.
Beautiful shot for the theme 🙂
Cheers,
Firasz
Thanks so much!
I sure appreciate your encouraging presence here in the online world, Sandra! Your posts bless.
You bless me, Elizabeth. Grateful for you.
Good Saturday morning, my beautiful friend.
You know, Buchanan’s thoughts are so contrary to what the world tells us – and even what some professions demand. I’m sure that you would agree with me that the practice of professional nursing required time management…and yet there was always “time” for the inevitable crisis.
Having cultivated a slower pace over the past decade, I regret not doing so earlier in life. I wonder what – Who – I failed to notice all those year in my efforts to control time.
In nursing, we had to *make time* for those interruptions. And what was first to go? Our potty breaks? Our meal times? How much overtime did we work (in the hospital?) Even we who care for others must make time to care for ourselves–and maybe shed things that keep us from slowing down. I’m sure I’ve missed so much over the years.
Lord, help me notice.
Me, too!
Ah … that stillness beckons. Always. He knows we need it … but we are so slow to respond to this grace-gift.
Thank you for this gentle reminder, Sandra.
Sabbath rest & joy to you, to yours …
I hope you find some moments to rest and remember this weekend, Linda.
Noticing how the days are shortening, their sunlight taking on that special late-season glow. Wondering where June, July and August went, and how can it be autumn’s eve. Praising Him for changing seasons and the stillness of this quiet morning. Saturday blessings to you, Sandy.
Summer came and went so fast this year. Sigh… Maybe God knows we need a little extra stillness of winter this year. 🙂
I love how you can convey such a beautiful message with only a few words, Sandra!
Thank you, Heather. I’m glad for the words of others that help me find my own. 🙂
I had been feeling kinda blue and rather lost lately with all of the unexpected changes (interruptions) in my life this year. It wasn’t until just a few days ago when I realized exactly what the quotation said: these interruptions are my life. Realizing that somehow made me feel better.
Great post Sandra. Have a great week.
~ Cassandra from Renaissance Women
Funny how I find my day is similar to Jesus’ in that I go from one thing to the next, not feeling like it is really planned out. From one interruption to the next…. life, homeschooling four kids and trying to keep the house and whatnot.
But somehow it seems more often than not that I am not ending up feeling like I’m accomplishing much “good”. The mundane of the day is never done, the wash and dishes keep piling and there is constantly food to be fixed and papers to grade and I just see it as done not as “good”.
God, please help me SEE the good and not just the “to be done”. Amen.
I’ve noticed I’m breathless. Now I’m trying to determine whether it’s awe or exhaustion that’s taken my breath away.
Thanks for these words, these images, this safe place. You bless me so, Sandy.
Your photo made me laugh – and, somehow, in the laughing made me listen more closely! Oh, those things which threaten to mess up my schedules – sometimes they are the really important things! Blessings this week – and grace be found in those things which interrupt!
Oh this SO inspires me! Inspires me to be more spontaneous, lighter, whimsical….to plan less and be OK with the zig zag path of my own life…to go around doing good instead of doing more. Thank you so much, Sandra!
Living in the moment – not being captured by the busy-doing-what’s-next- circle … Finding the blessed balance – A wonderful reminder, Sandy!
Absolutely wonderful! I want to notice. For the rest of my days. Thank you for this!