image map Home Favorites Reading About Contact

Take time to not hurry

She called me Monday not feeling well. She called me Tuesday morning feeling worse. She called me Tuesday afternoon from the doctor’s office.

I called her Wednesday morning to say, “I’m almost there.”

So I spent yesterday with my college daughter doing much of nothing but taking care of her, hanging out, talking, eating.
No schedule.
No clock-watching.

No hurrying. 

Many well-meaning people cannot succeed in being kind because they are too rushed to get things done.

Haste has worry, fear, and anger as close associates; it is a deadly enemy of kindness, and hence of love.
~ DALLAS WILLARD, The Great Omission

Does being in a hurry hinder your kindness? It does mine. Too often I’m too hurried to see or take advantage of fresh opportunities in front of me.

There are so many things that I want to do. I never feel I have enough time to do them all. And truthfully, I don’t. My to-do list is bigger than my available time.

So I hurry. But it’s not working for me.

Instead, I need a redesign. To open space for more margin. More of God. More of people.

Many of our sins are caused by hurry and thoughtlessness.

No matter how “good” our purpose is, a driven man is still enslaved. He cannot act freely, thoughtfully, lovingly.
~ TIM HANSEL, When I Relax I Feel Guilty

I want to be more free, thoughtful, and loving. Yesterday when I shook free of hurry, I was able to enjoy my daughter and help her.

It felt good to not hurry. I’m seeing (again) that it’s something I need to work on.

And I’m grateful I can take time to do it.

* * *

How do you let go of hurry?

15 comments:

gemini said...

Hahhaha...sometimes its so mind boggling why we destroy our days with all the hurrying! Good points here to ponder.

Melissa said...

I've recently learned the importance of not hurrying. Posted about it here last month.

http://breathoflifeministries.blogspot.com/2010/10/finding-margin.html

Cherie said...

Such a great reminder that we are probably missing many opportunities right in front of us because we just rush right past without really seeing.

I'm hoping to slow down.

MIchael G said...

My dad has always said, "Haste makes waste!" I have always applied this to the tasks and assignments in my life. I have never thought of how my hurried schedule may "waste" the opportunities I could have with people.

Thank you for the reminder

Joy said...

I'm able to slow down when I commit to less. As I've learned to say no and deliberately keep my life less full, I've been able to soak things up and be more spontaneous without it putting pressure on my day. It's a wonderful thing.

Brian Miller said...

you know it is a daily battle...so much to do, so little time, you forget who you are being...

ed cyzewski said...

I hope your daughter is OK. Thanks for sharing how you've been fighting against a busy and demanding schedule. I'm trying to stop multi-tasking and focusing on one thing at a time. Sometimes it works, and sometimes I end up having 8 programs open on my computer or checking my e-mail on my phone while walking.

Be blessed today!

Sheryl said...

I love the Willard quote. I need to put it in a prominent place this summer. Hurry isn't part of my normal makeup, but it creeps in when I'm in my uber-responsible mode with interns and kids and their parents. I think my hurry comes in the form of multi-tasking. Focusing on one thing at a time is an art often lost to me.

Young Wife said...

I'm so glad you were able to take care of your daughter when she was sick!

amy in peru said...

hmmm... many of our sins are caused by hurry and thoughtlessness. ouch.

yep. slowing down is very, very good.

:)

Barbara H. said...

This is convicting. I tend to sin both overtly and covertly when in a hurry -- I miss seeing or responding to others' needs plus I tend to be more short-tempered.

Bonnie Gray said...

"There are so many things that I want to do. I never feel I have enough time to do them all. And truthfully, I don’t."

Guilty as charged. "And I've cut out so much already!" is my cry. ;)

What you are describing is something that speaks to my heart. I want to change - less hurry, more love, more thoughtfulness.

As Ed says, mutli-tasking isn't all it's cracked up to be!

Thanks for this awesome addition to the jam, Lisa!

Is your daughter okay now? ...

Camille said...

Lovely post! Such thoughtful things you write Lisa. Thank you for the encouragement to sloooowww down and really live!

Blessings,
Camille

Mommy Emily said...

oh lisa... how this convicted me. my husband is always telling me, 'haste makes waste.' sigh. i've always had this urgency imbedded in me, and for a long time, i thought it was a good thing, but slowly i am learning it isn't. thank you, friend. you always write so thoughtfully, tenderly and kindly. bless you.

Loni said...

Sometimes it's these things that slow us down that make us appreciate so much more . . . an illness, a death, a hospital stay . . . God has renewed this in me many times.

Thank you for sharing.

It's my first time visiting you & joining Imperfect Prose.

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails