busy.

I've been wanting to write about this topic for a while but hadn't quite nailed down what I wanted to say. And ironically enough, as I'm writing about being "busy," I've never had so much free time IN. MY. LIFE. But venture with me...

It all started well over a month ago when I was walking back from class one morning. This guy walking in front of me yelled at a friend across the street: "Hey buddy, can we grab lunch this week?" To which his friend responded, "I don't know man, I have a really busy week. I'll text you!"

This brief exchange really got me thinking... Isn't that a pretty normal response? "I have a busy week." Aren't we all busy? For example, on any given day, I have class, work, homework, intramurals, ministry events, group meetings, etc. Most days I feel like I wake up and GO GO GO until bed. But don't most people? Isn't that the norm in our society now?

So, the question becomes... what are we busy with? What is consuming our schedule? I think it's so easy to get caught up in all the things we "have to do" and lose sight of the important things in life. It's easy to skip a quiet time with the Lord after a long day. It's easy to let friendships suffer because of other commitments. It's easy to miss out on opportunities because we can't take our "blinders" off.

Prime example: Earlier in the semester I was going for a run... it was one of those days where I was "squeezing in" a workout because of everything else I had going on. As I was running down Cumberland Avenue, there was a homeless man sitting at the bus stop. Well as I went by him, something told me to STOP. To talk to this man. Pray for this man. Help this man. It was most definitely the Holy Spirit. But you know what I did? I kept running. I was "so busy" and in "too much of a hurry" to stop. To be obedient. This moment has stuck with me and I'll have to answer for my disobedience one day; but it has taught me to slow down. We can't continue to "run" through life, going from one task to the next blindly. We can't be too busy to see the needs of those around us. We have to learn, in a fast-paced world, to SLOW DOWN.

rampant.

My mind is running rampant tonight: I just finished the toughest week of my semester only to run face-first into a tougher one. We leave on Thursday for NYC to work with Urban Impact for a week. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow for my foot. I graduate in less than two months and head straight to Houston for the next three months of my life. And I have a heavy heart.

Overwhelming thought today: At some point, I'm going to fail my friends. My friends are going to fail me. Leaders are going to fail me. Mentors. Teachers. Family. Co-workers. They're all going to fail me and I'm going to fail them. It's a sad fact of life... we're all fallen sinners. Many (or most) of the time I'm a second-thought or after-thought to friends. BUT not to God. He will NEVER fail me. His story is that of REDEMPTION. How could I not be encouraged by that?!

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or frightened because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you."

[Deuteronomy 31:6]

Strong words from Moses to Joshua... and me. So this week, I'll be encouraged because my God is mighty. He's big. He's a healer. He's a provider. And He loves me. I pray you'll be encouraged as well.

crippled.

Welp. I haven't blogged in quite some time... my apologies to all of my die-hard followers (the few. the proud. the loyal.)

I've been meaning to write about my current injury for a couple of weeks now BUT my heart hasn't been right in regards to my situation. For those of you who don't know, I broke a bone in my foot a couple of weekends ago playing indoor volleyball. (I would explain more but it's really a pathetic story of a collision and a lack of balance.) Consequently I'm now in a BOOT for at least two more weeks... maybe four. I had crutches (seen below) but I ditched them pretty quick (despite the wishes of my mom. and my friends. and probably my doctor.)

And honestly... I was bitter. Really bitter. The first week was tough. I was training for my first half-marathon. My last semester of intramural soccer had just started. And to top it all off... (feel free to laugh) I started a "walking" class the week after I broke my foot. Yes, I need the credit hour in order to graduate and, you're right, I can't walk. Perfect combination. 

Thankfully, my mom (a constant sound of reason) made sure to remind me that my God is in control and is trying to show me something during this hard time. Besides, as His Word says, I'm not promised tomorrow so I better rejoice in TODAY. (But I'm not gonna lie, it took me a while to get to this point!)

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has trouble of its own."

[Matthew 6:34]

Luckily, I have some pretty incredible friends and co-workers that have been more than helpful during this time. Some have walked (lesbe honest, crawled) to class with me. Others have brought me food. Given me rides. Sympathized. Listened to me whine. So for that... I'm grateful. 

I still have my rough days and my bitter moments... Ya know, those times when you're hobbling back from class and somebody runs past you or your friends play a game of pick-up soccer. But I realize that there will be other half-marathons. And soccer games. And I'm bound and determined to pass this DANG walking class! However, prayers are always appreciated for a timely return to action and strength on my bad days...