Refusing to Juggle

About a month ago I heard Sheila Walsh speak while I was listening to K-LOVE. Though I've heard great things about her and her teaching, she's not an individual who I know much about. In about two minutes I learned two things: 1) she has a lovely accent I could listen to all day 2) she can speak a WORD, y'all!

On this particular day she was talking about being a woman and trying to do this, that and the other every single day. One that particular day I was feeling overwhelmed with school starting back up, volleyball practice, zumba, work, church, etc. Not that any of those things are bad but my brain was having a hard time readjusting to routine. My state of mind probably had something to do with me keying into her so quickly and to that I say 'thank you, Lord.'

The gist of her lesson was that we spend so much time juggling different things in our lives but jugglers actually never catch and hold onto anything. They're constantly catching and releasing - catch, release, catch, release....

Which means they are never fully present and engaged in anything...

Wow - that hit me like a ton of bricks because it is so me, friends. What I like to call multi-tasking is simply not being fully present. Checking things off my to-do list in my head is robbing me of precious moments - that I will never get back - I could be chatting with my girl while I take her to volleyball practice. Worrying about something I have absolutely no control over keeps me from truly hearing my man.

And on. And on. And on.


What I decided in that very moment is that no matter what I was doing, whether it was something I chose or an activity that was just a requirement, I was going to be fully present. If I'm selling A+ cards for my kiddo, I'm doing it with a smile. Shuttling the girl and her friends back and forth from each other's homes will be a joy.

Going tailgating with my family and friends will be fun because I will be fully present and not worrying about what I left undone at the office. Working each day, which I enjoy immensely, will be done with vigor but I will leave it there at 5 o'clock so I can focus on my man. And my girl. And the puppy posse.

I will find time for myself and go to zumba, get a pedicure, enjoy Starbucks or read a book from time to time. And I refuse to feel guilty because that defeats the entire purpose. I will study the Word each day without distraction.

And I will do all these things - and probably many more - because I refuse to juggle anymore. I want to catch and be caught because there is no doubt in my mind that when all is said and done, I will never utter the phrase 'Gee, I sure wish I had been able to get a few more things checked off the to-do list...' or 'I sure could have done a better job multi-tasking...'

Can I get an Amen?