40 Acts of Lent: day 34 - 'Flow'

Act thirty four - Flow by Rachel Ridler
'Busy' is overtaking 'fine' as the standard reply to 'How are you?' There aren't enough hours in the day, you're rushed off your feet, you haven't the time. Most of us are guilty of making ourselves too busy. It's possible that the most urgent thing on our agenda should be slowing down and focusing energy on the people and things that matter. So, spend today going with someone else's flow.

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. 

Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. 

Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. 

I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. 

Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." 

                                                                                                  Matthew 11:28–30 (The Message)
             
Busy, busy, busy!  This is my normal reply to people when they ask about my week. As a mum to two, wife to one, part-time charity worker and many more things besides, there are never enough hours in the day.
But this July something came along that made me stop. A letter. Hand-delivered. The news it contained has changed my life since, pushing me out of my comfort zone. The news, you ask?  Well, the new high speed railway HS2 will be coming right through the brand new estate where I live. That's of course after the bulldozers have done their work.

This news is not the end of our world (even though it seemed so at the time!), but it has certainly made me appreciate my neighbours more. I pray for them more and seek opportunities to spend time with them (something I wanted to do before but never got round to). I now have an open door for other mums on the estate to drop in for play dates or cups of tea. I go round for Friday-night drinks with the other ladies even when I would rather be curled up in bed on my own. I even set up a Facebook group for residents to chat and share concerns and advice whenever they need it.

Before the letter came I was rushing from work to nursery and back again, never making the time to stop and connect with people. But since this news, I have taken every opportunity to talk to people in the street and stop looking at my watch or diary for my next appointment – now I go with the flow. It's like today's verse says: 'Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.' God's ways are unforced and natural, not diarised and regimented. If we can put aside our schedules, then we allow God to flow through us in incredible ways.

Choose how to complete this act...

GREEN OPTION:
If today is one of those days you've got no leeway on, earmark a future time for being flexible to others' needs.

YELLOW OPTION:
Have a quick catch-up with somebody. Phone a relative. Or take a colleague out for coffee. Take the opportunity to look around you as you go through your day, and see who you bump into that you could slow down for.

RED OPTION:
Make it happen. Whoever you've 'been meaning' to spend time with, today's the day (or afternoon or evening).