"Takin' Time Out"

Definition:  To stop or hinder by breaking in.  To break uniformity or continuity.

 

WOW, it has been almost one whole month since I last posted on my blog.  For someone who was committed to posting weekly, I have sorta messed up.  Please forgive me…I have “Takin Time Out” from “Takin Time Out”!   LOL   My schedule has been burglarized by the time bandit.  In reality I have just not had enough time to accomplish everything I have wanted to get done lately.  There are days I feel like the little hamster in his cage running as fast as I can on the wheel and it is going faster and faster but I am not going anywhere.  Looking back over the past 4 weeks I have traveled for work and accomplished some big projects but in my mind it is never quite enough.  Prioritizing, breathing, focusing and taking a day at a time.  Life happens and INTERRUPTIONS have gotten in the way but lookout, I am back on track.  I have a new motto on my computer saver screen and a sign on my wall that says “GitRDone!” 

 

I know I keep saying this but the older I get the faster life goes.  I can’t believe we are in the middle of May, the school year is about over and many of my friends kids are graduating High School and College, it seems they just started their freshman year!   For those young mothers out there with precious little ones I realize your days are full of INTERRUPTIONS… “Momma bring me more milk, Momma I need my shoe tied, Momma come wipe me, Momma I can’t find this, Momma can you wash that or I am hungry what’s for dinner?”  Yes, it can be exhausting but enjoy each age and stage as it goes by so quickly. 

 

INTERRUPTIONS…how many of you have had a telephone call in the middle of the night, a talkative child while you are talking to another adult, the power going off in the middle of something important, you’re in a hurry and the checkout line is extremely long, you’re computer crashes, a virus that hits while on vacation, the car has a flat tire in the rain, flight delays, or unexpected road construction.  They are everywhere and incurred daily. Our lives are filled with INTERRUPTIONS.  Some are natural occurrences and some are what I call Satan inflicted and some I truly believe are God ordained.

 

It can be hard to decipher then find a balance, enjoy the blessings, and not let life’s INTERRUPTIONS get you off track.  That is where my faith steps in…when I am overwhelmed with my “To Do List” and not sure which task to start next, that is when “Takin Time Out”, taking a deep breath, just hit the pause button and say a little prayer.  God shows me the way; he helps calm my anxious heart and provides the resources and tools to stay on task.  I love the verse and recite it daily found in Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.  Inevitably, INTERRUPTIONS can change your day dramatically; and while they can be frustrating, they also can be productive.  How do you respond to INTERRUPTIONS?  Do you have an attitude of frustration, exasperation, fear, doubt, or irritation? I firmly believe it is a positive attitude and how we choose to respond to those INTERRUPTIONS that can make the biggest difference.  I love the little saying:

Lord, if I’m feeling rushed today,

I need your eyes to help me see

That when an INTERRUPTION comes,

It is an opportunity…Sper

 

Look for God’s purpose in your next INTERRUPTION…Some of the greatest advances in God’s plans have come through INTERRUPTIONS to the normal routine.  Delays, diversion, and distractions…INTERRUPTIONS don’t have to be thieves that take away but a divinely ordered construction zone which God can provide a detour for good in our lives.  Maybe he is protecting you from something; maybe he wants you to reprioritize and shift gears to doing his will rather than ours.  “Takin Time Out” is key to refocusing and being thankful for life’s INTERRUPTIONS.  Look at them as Divine interventions…a message from beyond…enter into the moment gracefully…find the even flow…breathe deeply…slow down…capture the moment and ask why?  There is a purpose and we all know INTERRUPTIONS are inevitable.  It is just the way life works it is how we respond rather than react that shows our true faith.

 

As I am sipping on my cup of hot china tip green tea, I feel so happy to be back at the keyboard typing away sharing these crazy thoughts swimming in my head.  Oops there is a message popping up in my email…another INTERRUPTION, I have just realized technology is so good in many ways yet it has caused our lives to have so many more INTERRUPTIONS. There are so many days I feel over stimulated with emails, text messages, phone calls and then there is social media that can be fun to reconnect with friends and family yet this is another resource people reach out and cause INTERRUPTIONS, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest it is overwhelming some days.  I feel it is very important in “Takin Time Out”, be still, shut it off, get away and relax and most importantly breathe…

 

Until next time my friend, I encourage you to stop and look at how you respond to the next INTERRUPTION are you anxious, irritated, frustrated, stressed out or are you calm, being more aware of the presence and is there a lesson or detour you need to make in this construction zone of INTERRUPTIONS?  Count them as little blessings and see what happens….