Hello friends.  I am trying to get un-busy.  I am attempting to enjoy my summer vacation.  I just took a quick getaway weekend with hubby and want to tell you what I learned . . .

And he said to them, "come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while . . .

see Mark 6:31

Take "care" of yourself

 

With the understanding that the Lord will take care of you, we have to understand that we have a responsibility to also take care of ourselves . . .

 

I have just exited a season of going.  You know, those times when it feels like you just keep going without any breaks because the to-do list is just that long.  Perhaps the running from event to event takes up all of your time. Maybe the job, or the business, or the kids, or the house keeping takes up all of your time.  The things is, you have to find the time for self care.

 

I have just exited this place of constant “what is nextness!”  I realized that I do this, not because it is healthy for me, but because I feel obligated to complete all the things on the list.  Why?  Why is this?

 

Sometimes we are too busy being busy and we don’t take the time to think about why we feel the need to be so busy.  What we have to recognize about ourselves and about our human nature is that we are often trained to do the things that we do.  We train our bodies and we train our mind to complete tasks that we think are important.  Our minds, the intricate and complex processors that they are, like to streamline our training into habits.  It just makes everything so much more simple so that the mind can have room to absorb other important things on the “to- do list.”

BUT We have to stop adding to the to-do list!

I am learning more and more about myself when I take the time to listen to myself.  Lately, my bones and my muscles have been telling me to slow down.  My soul has been telling me that I need to make more time for creativity, relaxing, and spending time with my family.  I even have to make more time at organizing my physical space so that I can practice being calm and tranquil.  I have to make it a practice to incorporate self care into my life.  I have to make it a practice to pray, journal, and to read my bible.  I have to want to slow down and incorporate that training into my life in order to make it a habit.

 

The point is this:  We do what we do because we practiced doing it that way.

 

More importantly than this is:  we have the power to undo such training and to perhaps create better habits in our lives.

This past weekend I relaxed with a nice foot soak and pedicure.  I did it myself with a basin of hot water, Epsom salt, and lavender bubbles.  It doesn’t take much.  It just takes a little commitment to train yourself to take care of yourself.  In this practice you will also be taking care of your soul.

 

For this Throwback Thursday I want to share with you an article about finding  peace with the Lord.  Sometimes our souls are yearning from rest but we just stay too busy out of habit.  Pray for me and I will pray for you as we break the habit of "busy" together.

 

The Lord is telling me:  You are NOT self sufficient.  You need Me!!!

 

Our environments don't always allow us to create the right habits for good living.  Our world puts a lot of pressure on us to perform consistently and continuously.  We are slowly walking into that burden of working harder for less than what we deserve.  Our bodies are weary.  We fall short every day.  This is why we need Jesus.  This is why we need the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit will tell us what we need to do to care for our souls, for our families, for our mental health, and for our overall well-being.  This is what he is telling me to do right now:

Pray

Slow Down

Be still

Open up your heart

Read my word

Get Quiet

Listen to my voice

I will give you peace

I am asking the Lord today to bless my soul. Help me to find that peace again.  Help me to take care of me. Amen.

This article originated from an older post entitled "7 things to do to find peace"

You can access it here:

https://artteacher4purpose.blogspot.com/2018/10/throwback-thrusday-7-things-to-find.html

 

Until Next Time

-Tamorra