Can I share something with you?
Sometimes, I just want to write
Without worrying if it’s right or not.
Would you believe I’ve found a place that offers me that kind of grace?
Over at Lisa-Jo’s.
So I will join others and write unabashedly
for five minutes time.
Without editing or backtracking
On one word alone:
RACE
It never ends. From the rise of the sun to the moon’s final descend, we fight it: Time. We wring it dry, trying to savor every drop and lay our heads on the pillows wondering if we succeeded.
Something about this makes me wonder if we misinterpreted this gift of time…
Is it just me? Are we too busy?
Busy is a four-letter word now widely accepted.
And excuses are busy’s cousins.
Friends, I want out. This race is not for me.
I wish I remembered where I read that if we’re too busy to spend time with God, we’re busier than He intended. Oh how that makes me cringe as I think about how many times I’ve let busy’s cousin in to reason with my lack of time for Him.
No more. I’m taking Him up on His offer and trading in that four-letter word for a better one: REST.
Yes, I’m letting go and letting God…
So my child may not become a black belt. He may not be a pianist savant by age thirteen. We might miss out on a few fun things…
I might not even get 3 blog posts done some weeks. And I might miss out on a few fun things…
But I can assure you, friend. I’m not missing out on Him loving me. I’ll be taking my time in the pool of grace. Trying to wring it dry. I’ll show my child how to stop and see His gifts all around. For that’s where true joy abounds.
Friends, I plan on savoring long whatever the time right in front of me holds. And thanking Him for each moment it brings. So when I lay my head on the pillow each night I can not wonder but know I’ve spent this gift of time well.
This upside down Kingdom of grace is one I signed up for. I’m going to start living like it.
Let’s reverse this rat race! Who’s with me?
STOP.
What keeps many of us growing is not sin, but speed.
We lose God in the blurred landscape as we rush.
We don’t struggle with the Bible, but with the clock.
Michael Yaconelli ~ Messy Spirituality
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How about you? Will you trade in some busy for rest? How do you? I’d love to hear.
Thanks for sharing your time with me.
Simply striving,
Nikki
Are we friends on Facebook? I’d love to be…
simplystriving 
I am so WITH you, my friend…I’ve heard that quote before about being too busy, and sorry, I don’t know who to attribute it, too… love the quote:”What keeps many of us growing is not sin, but speed.” If we’re rushing, how can do what the psalmist says about God’s words to us: “Be still, and know that I am God.” Praying you have a most blessed and restful weekend with your sweeties 🙂
I can’t tell you how long I searched for who said that quote before I began writing my 5 minutes, Dolly! I wanted to read around it…remember their conclusions. Sadly, I couldn’t find it. bummer!
but then I read your post and was reminded what I should focus on anyway… 😉 thank you!
Enjoy your weekend with your lovelies, friend!
I want REST not busy too. I want the race that gives rest from God; not the rat race.
oh me, too..I’m not a fan of rats 😉 But rest…just the thought makes me breathe deeper.
thanks for stopping by today!!
Yes! I want to pillow my head knowing, not just wondering. Needing grace for this. Have a blessed weekend!
I can’t think of one thing worthwhile that doesn’t require grace…and I’m still not sure why it’s offered freely, this currency for life. We might as well take advantage of it!
So thrilled you stopped by today, Liz. thank you!! Enjoy your weekend, too. May rest come easy.
Let us stop this race. I’m with you. Really. Maybe. Except for 8YOs hockey practice. And, maybe 13YOs dance class on the other side of the other suburb. And well…
How do we get out? Really? How do we let go of the peer pressure “to do” and embrace “be-ing?”
Oh, if I master this, I’m going to let you know… To embrace being…it sounds God-breathed. don’t you think? A worthy goal…
Maybe it starts for living for today and not waiting for tomorrow…that’s what I’m striving for, anyway.
thrilled you stopped by — thank you!
I have always loved your FMF.. this one I love and I love this quote
Yes, I’m letting go and letting God …. YES! thank you for sharing today
It’s become my life’s motto, Karen. To let go and let God. In fact, I now wear it around my neck to remind myself!
Amazing how it applies to every circumstance.
Thanks for stopping in, Karen. You always bless!
Oh yes… I am SO with you! “Busy is a four-letter word now widely accepted.
And excuses are busy’s cousins.” Yeah… hopin’ I remember this line the next time that uninvited family member tries to barge in!
I’m hoping to remember, too, Karrilee! ack!
So thrilled you stopped in #FMFParty last night and decided to give Five Minute Fridays a go. What a joy it was to meet you!!
I talked about getting out of the race too! So fun to chat with you tonight at the #FMFParty. I had my chocolate and my popcorn tonight 🙂
love when our thoughts sync up, friend! we are kindred…even when we’re sleep deprived!
and I had popcorn and nutella hot chocolate on the agenda for tonight 😉
You know my heart, Nikki. I am in. In Grace.
ahhh, the race for grace. the race of grace. the race to grace. it all applies.
here’s to accepting this free currency of grace and spending it with reckless abandon!
Amen, amen.
Denise, you always bless. always.
I’m with you, sweet friend. All. The. Way. I just want to be with Him. Love you, my friend. still smiling and feeling the joy and blessing of hearing your voice, of being able to call myself your friend. What a gift you are.
And you, friend. are exquisite. I’ll tweet ya!
I always feel so motivated when I read your posts! I’m saying it with you – yay! let’s reverse the rat race!
Lovely to see you again – hope you are well and you get to do some good rest this weekend… Much love. xx
What a joy to see your smiling face here, Tanya. Yes, I plan on soaking Him in this weekend and trust you can do the same! Thanks for stopping by!
I sit here at 5:50 am, exhausted and wondeer how you even manage to stay up late enough to post at place number #20…I can’t remember where you live perhaps these post don’t go live at midnight like they do in eastern time. Anyway, the line that excuse i the cousin of busy. Brilliant. I agree with you. On everything. But I still wonder how how to live this life when your kids are older, in love with all the activities of the world and their friends and the calendar is always full. I want this life of not-too-busy–you remind me of how I ache for it. I just don’t know how to live it.
Thanks for stopping by, Laura! I’m in Central Time, so have an extra hour to my evening to sneak my post in ; ) And yes…how do we LIVE this…wish I could have gotten there in my 5 minutes. I’m hoping if we simply keep our eye on the prize like it advises, the rest will fall into place. And maybe it’s not a busy monitor as much as it is a peace of mind measurement we abide by. I don’t want to be so frazzled I’m not living in the moment! know what I mean?
I am with you! Oh so very much. These little moments, these passing days, are fewer as time goes on. Who cares about all those extras, I just want to do well with what I’ve been given!
Yes, yes, yes, Lauren! I think you already do this well…do well with what you’ve been given. That’s my prayer, too!
YES! I’m with you! In slowing down we open ourselves up to be available for His callings. I want that.
YES! to be available for His calling….that’s it right there. Thanks for stopping by, friend. Now go enjoy your fun weekend! 🙂
AMEN AMEN AMEN – I want my little girl to understand that contentment is where it’s at.
Such freedom found in contentment, don’t you think? Yes, that’s worth passing down! Thanks for stopping by, Jenn! So blessed by you 😉
Amen! says it all.
Blessings of His rest to you!
Thank you, Sylvia! So thrilled you stopped by today so I knew to visit you!
I am with you, Nikki. So there. Letting go. He is worth our priority time. May we give Him Preeminence in our lives.
Oh yes…He’s worthy. And some days, time is all I have to give…so I’m going to make sure I give at least that!
Love and hugs to you, Dawn. Thank you for stopping by, friend!
I love this…years ago illness brought me to a forced rest…now that I am well again I don’t want to start racing again. Great encouragement and a reminder today…blessings to you as we trade busy for rest…what a trade up it is~
I’m amazed that’s what it took for you, too, Ro. God put me out of commission last year for an extended time. It’s the time I finally told Him I would start writing for Him! Yes, I’m with you….wouldn’t trade my time with Him for anything…what rest.
I am not missing out on Him loving me! Good stuff. Be blessed:)
Thank you, friend! Always blessed by you 😉
Hi Nikki
You are speaking to my heart today. Suffering from Fm/CFS, I am not able to race; sometimes we cannot get up in the mornings. It took me a long time to make peace with my new life. Your post showed me just how blessed we are in the sense that we cannot compete in the rat race.
Blessings
I’m so sorry about the thorn you have been given, Mia. And still you are finding ways to glorify Him. What a testimony!
Nikki, this is beautiful, and a lesson we really started practicing four or five years ago. I love seeing it in so many others lives, God’s reclaiming of time. What an opportunity we have as Believers to live this testimony of the precious gift of time. Your words are simply beautiful. Love you!
Thank you, Tobi! So excited to hear you’re doing this, too! I’m convinced once you try it, you’ll never go back. To God be the glory!
“…if we’re too busy to spend time with God, we’re busier than He intended” AMEN!
Thank you, Jenni! I know I read that somewhere…wish I could take credit. Actually I wish I could remember who said it to give them the credit! 😉
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Great post. I love the thought of excuses being busy’s cousins. Thanks for the rminder!
Thrilled you stopped by, Tammy! Hope to see you at another #FMFParty sometime 😉
Oh, this slowing is so good. I feel like I weave in and out of a life or rest, like a pendulum swinging. Thanks for this good reminder.
Love the imagery of the pendulum swinging, Annie. I’m going to linger on that one awhile. Thank you!
Oh, Nikki! This is absolutely beautiful! Trading busy for rest- love that sentiment and I think we need to encourage one another to truly do this. It reminds me of the line from “In Christ Alone”- What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease, my Comforter, my all in all, here in the love of Christ, I stand.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Becky, you are talking my language with that song! I love that song…YES! such comfort in freedom in the slowing and savoring…
Thank you so much for sharing with me!
I’m with you on this! Part of the reason I didn’t stay up for the #FMFparty on twitter was because I felt that I needed to go to bed when my husband did or a couple of minutes after – not hours after.
Great post, friend!
So glad you made the right choice, Mary! Hugs to you!!
Reverse the rat race … now I love that. I also loved how you penned “I’ll be taking my time in the pool of grace.”
Thank you! I’m so thrilled you stopped by so I knew to visit you. : ) Thank you!
I’m with you on this… slowing down, enjoying the time God has given me, taking more time to spend with my Lord and loved ones… God is so good that he promises to, “restore the years the locust have eaten.” — Bless You!
OH what a promise! I love what you shared here, Ms. Kathleen…thank you! So blessed by you. Hope to see you at the next #FMFParty!
This is just beautiful: “But I can assure you, friend. I’m not missing out on Him loving me. I’ll be taking my time in the pool of grace. Trying to wring it dry. “ Oh how I want to wring dry myself out of a pool of grace! Beautiful imagery.
Thank you, Monica! I’m pretty certain we can’t do it–wring it dry. But doesn’t it sound delightful giving it a try?!? Yes…lets.
I am so with you on this one!! It was great how you wove it all together!
Oh you read my heart well…I felt I was all over the place and yet you saw what I was trying to weave together. Thank you! You’ve encouraged me. thank you…
I like the idea of trading “busy” for “rest.” Surely, “busy” is not the abundant life He promised us!
It truly is an upside down Kingdom, isn’t it. Where Less is actually more. Emptying ourselves actually makes us more full… Oh how I’m striving…
Thanks for stopping by and sharing with me!
“But I can assure you, friend. I’m not missing out on Him loving me. I’ll be taking my time in the pool of grace.” I love, love, love this Nikki!! Your words are so softly soothing. True and real. I am blessed by your insight. 🙂
Love you to pieces, Leigh. Thank you! always enjoy my moments I share with you…
“excuses are busy’s cousins” – love your word-smithing! So happy to meet you friend!
Thank you, Karin. I’m so thrilled you meet you, too! What a blessing to me you have been! Hugs to you!!
Seriously. Love. Your. Heart. So blessed by you friend. Love and hugs.
You do cyber love so well, Wendy. Love you, too, friend!
Love it, Nikki! I’m with you:) God has been doing some crazy big things in my life and heart in the last year, and one is showing me that I don’t have to do it all! Only what He wants me to do. Such freedom in that. Thanks for the reminder, xoxo
Isn’t is amazing? this upside down Kingdom…how less is actually more and emptying ourselves leads to being more full…ugh. can’t get enough ; )
Love and hugs to you, Mandy!
Preach it sister. AMEN> I want to go in the same direction you are headed. Save a spot for this sister. You echo my heart in a large way today. Love your heart always.
Yes, let’s do this together, Elizabeth! Thanks for stopping by, friend. Love and hugs to you!
I heard it a long time ago….the encouragement to be a member of the “slow club”, as a father was admonished by his son who was taking waaay too long to get to the car. The boy was watching the ants on the ground, in wonder. May we slow down, and have time to breathe slowly the wonder of simple moments. 🙂 Good stuff.
I’m so with you! I don’t want the hurried life anymore at all. I’m willing to sacrifice a few things to get it too–like savant pianists and black belt karate kids. 😉
I’m there with you Nikki girl… embracing His love and quiet rest this weekend! Slowing to see all of the little goodness around me. Thank you sweet woman! ~ Blessings from Maine, Amy 🙂
Trading in the “race” for “rest.” Planning to do this and just spend some precious time abiding with Jesus for the next few weeks. Love and hugs to you.
Joy