Tick! Tock! Goes the clock

It's nearing 11:00pm. I lay flat on my back gazing up at the ceiling. Sleep should have came hours ago.  Sleep has evaded me. Typical, though, for the first day back to work. Staring at the clock on my nightstand, the hands seem to crawl around the face. I close my eyes, and within seconds, they pop back open on their own accord.

It's the same every year, not only for me, but for my comrades, also. After relaxing for a few months away from work, we're suddenly coming alive in a frenzy to have everything ready and completed before our doors open for business next Monday. One week to get ready, that's it. Can we do it? We rush frantically around, anxious that we'll get our momentum going... and just before we actually get the deadline met, WHAM! Someone snatches us off our course, to hinder us for an extra 30 minutes or an hour. Can we do it? Will we be ready on time?

So it goes. You too, huh? Seems the world is on a fast track. There was a popular song several years back that stated, "I'm in a hurry and I don't know why; all I gotta do is live and die, oh, I'm in a hurry and I don't know why". I've watched people in both secular businesses, and religious businesses (otherwise known as 'ministries') and it's the same, "Hurry up and meet some pre-determined deadline". What happens if we don't? Worse case scenario, we'll do it tomorrow. It's one thing to excel at procrastination, but for those of us who work frantically trying to stay ahead of the looming deadline--it's ridiculous.

Our bodies just weren't wired to live high strung all the time. Slow and steady wins the race. When Jesus taught the crowds, he compared us taking his way of life as taking His yoke. When you pair a young animal to a reliable old ox, the patient ox will stay on track, and eventually, the snappy young one will learn to settle down, take a good look ahead, and keep on the course, straight and steady.

So, how's your life these days? Do you feel like you're constantly living for no other reasons than to meet deadlines?? Is that all your life has become? Take time to smell the roses, or daisies.... or lilies... take time to hug your family, your cat, your dog.

Above all, remember to rest in Jesus. Remember that He's got your 'tomorrow's' handled, because he's already there. We may or may not get there. None the less, we do what we can, and don't stress about the rest. Either He's the Lord of all, or not Lord at all.
Work as unto the Lord, not as unto a task master. Do your best, but let's not stress.
Goodnight :-)
Me.