productive or nah?
hey, sole sister:
I’ve been thinking a lot about you lately. Are you doing well? Are you fed? Spiritually, emotionally, physically? Here’s what I feel God is teaching me about time with him.
It’s not productive.
Now before you go off on me on all the things that get “produced” through time in the Word, prayer time, quiet time, devo time (whatever it’s called these days), hear me out.
I don’t typically “work from home.” I work at a university, so when the adult kiddos are on winter break, so am I. I had to go into work a little early this break to get some things taken care of. I went in on a Wednesday and had told my supervisor that I would be back that day. Well, he put me on the schedule for Thursday and Friday, as well. Oopsies. I know, I know, my fault. I should have clarified that I only needed to be back on Wednesday just for the day. Oh well, grace is more. Thankfully, he corrected the schedule so I didn’t have to go in, but I certainly had plenty of admin/computer work I could do before our first official day back on the upcoming Monday. So, in an attempt to get a little bit ahead ('cause who doesn’t love that feeling?), I took advantage of those two days and decided to indulge my need for productivity. I worked from my living room couch in my jammies. Praise.
I got out of my memory foam heaven, washed my face, stayed in my jams, made coffee, ate breakfast, took my time, lit a candle, and then cozied in ready to be productive. My Bible and journal looking at me from the right side of the coffee table and my work computer and mile long to-do list staring at me from the left.
“Ready to be productive.”
I looked at my Bible and thought “at the end of time with you, there will be nothing to show, no box checked off, no email sent, no phone call returned, no nothing.” WOW. How often do I choose to check boxes over sit with my Creator? More often than not.
Sometimes the one thing we need the most is the first thing we move to “later,” not with malicious or deceitful intent, but because we ACTUALLY PLAN to do it later. Then we go to bed and it’s tomorrow. Same thoughts, different day. Then 3 months (if you’re me…) go by and I’m feeling ungrounded, unstable, and low.
My encouragement for you is to pay close attention to the things you are setting aside for productivity’s sake when productivity might not be necessary. Where can you lay productivity aside, and just be? - I know you mommas are thinking, “who’s this 27 year old single lady who thinks there is a moment of my day that isn’t need-meeting and productive??” I hear you, I really do… I don’t mean an hour, maybe it’s 5 minutes before you go to bed. Or the first 10 minutes of your tiny human’s nap. There’s no formula you have to follow, but where is there a moment of your day where you choose un-productivity instead of default to the dishes in the sink? - Sit with your Creator. Sit with His word. Read what He says about who you ARE just because you EXIST. This will lay the foundation of security and groundedness in the work you DO throughout the day.
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”
Lamentations 3:22-24
love you, mean it,
Cat
