I love to multi-task. I think it is something genetically wired in women, that we can do it and love to do it. Maybe it's just my personality. I'm not satisfied with killing two birds with one stone, but I want to kill 5 or 10 birds with one stone. Efficiency and multi-tasking become my god.
I've always known that these traits of mine can be good, bad and/or even ugly. It was last weekend though when I heard a wedding message that included the exhortation to be "fully present" that I thought to myself, "I should do something about this problem". I've heard those words before and the minister was using it specifically in the context of a marriage relationship, challenging the couple (and subsequently the rest of us) to be fully present with our spouses. This means to be fully present when my husband shares with me about Baylor sports (yes, he's a very loyal fan and I now know more about Baylor athletics than any other sport subject). This means I need to be fully present when all I want to do is check the next thing on my list and he is telling me about a new book or talk show message he listened to that day. This also means being fully present with my friends, co-workers and ... God.
We've all been on the receiving end of someone who is not fully present with us when we need it. It's not fun. It can hurt. Many of us shut down when this happens. Could you imagine if God shut down everytime we weren't fully present with Him? Do you think it hurts Him when we aren't fully present with Him when we need to be?
I'm so grateful that God does not shut down when we are not fully present with Him. I'm so thankful that He does not act towards us as we do towards others.
Being Fully Present
By Laura Murray - Posted on January 8th, 2009
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Something I know...but need to be gently nudged about...yet again. Thank for the reminder! Your post was a blessing!
I've been working on being more mindful for the last couple of years. It is a journey and an ongoing discipline, but so worth it. I'm very glad the multi-tasking faze is leaving, and we are being encouraged to focus on one thing at a time. I was a horrible multi-tasker and felt like I was doing mediocre work on all my tasks. I much prefer focusing on one thing at time, getting less done, but feeling like everything I do is a job well done. Not to mention my stress levels have gone down considerably. And probably my blood pressure too. :)
Thanks for the reminder that God only calls us to one place at a time; one person at a time. This is a good resolution for 2009 with a world of distractions. Thanks.
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