A Mary-ish Day

Kind of checked out today.  It was extremely nice.  My husband came home to find me sitting on the couch eating, no, not bon bons, but popcorn with M&M's (for the sweet/salty effect) and watching "Are you smarter than a fifth grader?" (which, I will have to say, I am not.)

It's nice to check out of life every once in awhile.  I must say, it's not easy when two little ones are running around the house (or is that running the house?)  Anyway, for some reason the kids decided to play quietly in their rooms for awhile -  an hour or more to be exact.  Don't know what got into them, but I took full advantage of the peace and quiet and indulged myself. 

It's not easy for me to take a break.  I always feel there's something I need to be doing, which, of course, is usually the case. We are so busy anymore, aren't we?  Running here and there, doing  this, that, and the other thing.  Why is it so hard to just rest sometimes?

I like the story of Mary and Martha.  When I was little, I remember thinking, 'I will never be like Martha.'  After all, Martha was just plain silly.  I mean, who would be working so hard when Jesus was there and she could sit down and chat with him for awhile?  Well, when I was little it was easy to be more like Mary.  I really didn't have that much to do; ride my bike, hang out with friends, clean my room every once in a great while.  No, life was pretty easy all in all.

But on my way to becoming a grown-up, things changed.  Life got more complicated, more complex.  And the older I got, the more I had to do.  Like a balloon, my days just filled up and filled up and filled up.  The more I had to do, the less time I felt I had to rest.  Suddenly, as a grown-up, I was  identifyng  more with Martha.  I understood why she was "worried and upset about many things."  I got why she was so irritated with her sister. 

I'd like to say that I'm so much wiser now, that I've learned how to be more Mary-ish these days.  But the truth is that each day there is a Mary/Martha struggle going on inside of me.  That's when I try to remember the wisdom of creation.  Each day was set aside for something specific to be created; not too much, not too little- just the right amount of stuff created each day.  All in good time, all in good order.  And then, when it was all said and done, what did God do?  He rested.  I'm sure he didn't have to (he is God, after all.)  But, I think he was setting an example for us.  Yes, work is important.  But I think, in its own right, rest is equally important.  A time to relax, rejuvenate, reflect; who couldn't do with a little more of these things in their life?

So, find some time to be more Mary-ish this weekend, and  I'll see you back here next week.