Busy: Having a great deal to do. Keeping occupied.
Wake up, devo, work out, breakfast, shower, go to work, eat lunch at my desk, leave at about 5:00 pm, dinner, volunteer/see friends/work on a freelance project/paint an 11-piece series and go to bed. Wake up and repeat. Wake up and repeat.
I used to think being busy while maintaining friendships and a healthy body meant that you had a well-balanced life—and that you had gained success. I thought this was the American Dream, the dream that would grant me happiness and hope for a bright future. But when I became a slave to my busy lifestyle, my friends and family slowly began to get crowded out and all I was left with was a never ending to-do list.
When I graduated from college I began to glorify the term “busy.” I chose a two-year school to skip the nonsense and jump straight into what I wanted to do. It wasn’t that I had a passion for designing that lead me to choose graphic design as a career, it was the fact that I thought becoming an artist wasn’t practical. Designers are always needed and that was how I was going to make a living for myself. In case you didn’t catch it . . . designers are ALWAYS needed.
As I was learning the tricks of the trade I took on freelance jobs and dove right in. After graduation I immediately began applying for internships and landed one at a local snowboard magazine. I worked there for 7 months giving it all I had while still doing freelance, taking another part-time design position and working at a coffee shop. My goal was to gain experience that would take me to the next level and so I said “yes” to everyone that needed a designer. I was paying my bills, hanging out with friends, snowboarding with family and trained for a half-marathon. Life seemed pretty good.
Fast-forward three years and here I am today—A full-time designer, working freelance, painting a series for fundraising purposes, volunteering 8 hours/week, working out/eating right and scheduling in friends and family a week or two in advance. I was right. For me to be a successful designer the main ingredient was not years of school but rather the amount of experience obtained. Progression happened and progression paid off. My problem was I never learned to say “no.”
How can I say “yes” to God when I cannot seem to make room for him in my busy little human schedule? I cannot exactly call Him up, have a conversation and hear He’s gonna need me to pencil Him in on Thursday at 6:43:02 pm at ModMarket so that I can “run into Sally” and He can use me to say something incredibly profound that completely turns her life around and causes her to go off to start an orphanage in East Asia and save the next generation from poverty (…okay, I went a bit far there but you get the idea). God presents opportunities in life every day for each of us to be used, but it is up to us to recognize and take hold of them.
Being able to discern these divine moments comes with discipline and experience. It is something you have to actively seek. You must dive into the Gospel daily, have constant communication with the Lord and a ready and willing heart to serve at all times—NOT when it’s scheduled or convenient. When you’re constantly running from point A to point B, you can only see the road in front of you. But when you slow down, take a breath and make room for God your perspective and awareness change. To me, it's just the same as if you're hiking at night and all you’re able to see is what your headlamp is shining on—the trail (this would be your busy schedule). On the other hand, hiking while awaiting “the next God opportunity” is like hiking during the day. Your field of vision expands deep into the forest. Not only are you able to see what is in front of you but you are fully aware of what you just passed through/what’s behind as well as what and who is around you.
For me, this season of transition has brought to me, the realization that “busy” is not actually productive for the Kingdom—rather, being fully available and willing is far more useful for our King. I want to be able to be used and I want to be able to be there for my friends and family whenever they call—not when it’s convenient for me and works for them. And so the word “no” has been incorporated back into my vocabulary; I am re-evaluating my priorities and determining what commitments need to be removed.
I will be leaving in less than three months and in that time I will need to wrap up projects, train the new designer at my job, finish my series of paintings, conduct a silent auction, purchase and organize all of my necessary belongings for the upcoming year, attempt to prepare my heart and mind for what I’m about to experience and say my “see you laters” to friends and family. BUT busyness—I refuse to let step in front of God.
