A Bible break for busy me

I WORK TOO MUCH.

I need a break.

Right now.

The problem with being self-employed isn’t that the work is never done. It’s that you know it will never get done unless you do it. No one else is going to do it for you.

And if it doesn’t get done, it’s your problem.

Here’s my short list of to-do stuff:

• Read through the galleys of an upcoming book to see what the editor did to me.
• Keep writing on the marathon, one-year project of a complex book which I not only have to write, but for which I have to find the art, and create the maps myself from NASA elevation data. Whoa Nelly.
• Keep writing blogs because my agent tells me to.
• Try to keep up with the head-spinning changes in social media, mainly to point people to my books and the Bible.
• Scratch Buddy the Dog. Here he is again beside my chair nudging my right arm. No big problem. I’m dictating this blog. (Scratch that. He didn’t want scratched. He wanted me to take him out in the backyard and chase him while he ran with the ball. I’m panting.)
• Create another Bible-related video. To my surprise, some of the videos I’ve done in the past have gotten thousands of viewers– some of whom swear. It’s okay, they are my target audience. Here’s one video I did about the miracle of the 10 plagues of Egypt. You don’t need to look through the comments to find swear words. You can trust me. They are there.
• Replace that USB port on my new computer when the part comes in. The computer company said they would pay for the flawed part they built into the computer but I had to pay for the postage, which seems to me to be expensive enough to pay for the part. Humm. The tech guy says the part will come without any how-to instructions. Looking forward to that.
• Work with my marketing-savvy son on developing an architecture for an updated website. I’m finding that websites have a relatively short life span.

Okay let’s see what the Bible has to say to get my mind off this stuff as I finish this blog post, which will end my work for the day I hope.

What word is there from the Good Lord for such a soul as me?

Most of what I do with my time is work that’s related to my faith. So I think I’ll go to something Jesus said for folks overloaded with faith work.

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).

Okay, Jesus. I’m sitting here remembering that cruise I took across the Sea of Galilee to the Chapel of the Beatitudes.

I’m remembering slipping away from my massive 3-bus group and coming upon a small assembly of folks from England. There on the very hillside where You may have preached these words that follow, the group started singing them.

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God
And His righteousness
And all these things shall be added unto you
Allelu, alleluia.”

I couldn’t help myself. I joined them, with my American accent.

Right now, this moment, I’m going to YouTube to find a version of that song.

Here’s one: Seek ye first the kingdom of God.

Let me confess. I just started writing this post, not knowing where it would take me.

I can’t believe it took me here. Right in front of you.

To this passage. To this memory. To this song.

I’m listening to the words now.

“Man shall not live by bread alone,
But by every word
That proceeds from the mouth of God.
Allelu, alleluia.”

It’s always a surprise to me when God’s Spirit shows up out of nowhere.

It shouldn’t be. But it is.

Thanks God.