Being Unproductive is OK
Y'all! I'm going to need to say that louder for those in the back! BEING UNPRODUCTIVE IS OK!! I think this is something I've always believed because, well sometimes I need to be lazy and do nothing, but reading it in black and white from an actual author...game changer!
I'm currently reading a Bible study written by Courtney Joseph and in the first chapter she states that "We need quiet unproductive moments in order to be women living well." I had to go back and read it two more times and then quickly wrote it in my journal and highlighted it in yellow because this is the truest statement ever. We go and we go and we go and when we're not going we're connected to our phones, we're constantly doing something. It's not just women y'all, it's the men too and even some of the kids I know. We're so busy being, well busy that we don't take the time to just sit and be still.
Courtney goes on to say that "In our restful times we can find order in the midst of chaos and connect with our Creator." In my opinion that statement should change every misconception about sometimes being unproductive. What could be considered as "being a lazy bum" is now finding quiet time to rest and rejuvenate our body, mind and soul. Don't get me wrong, I know that for some people being unproductive is taken to an unhealthy level and we've all complained about our "lazy" children but that's not what we're talking about here. We're talking about those days when we become the not necessarily kind wives, mothers, co-workers, daughters, sisters, friends that we want to be because we're being pulled in too many directions.
Years ago we were re-modeling our master bathroom and I wanted a big sunken tub. One of the contractors we were receiving bids from basically refused, he said that I would never use it and said that a busy mother of three kids wouldn't have time to soak in a tub and a better investment would be a big shower. While in some households I agree that might have been the best option but my husband and I both knew that in this household this momma needed a big sunken tub. You see a bath to me is more than just getting clean, a bath to me is rejuvenating my soul. When I'm in the bath I can't do anything for anyone else, no homework help, no changing diapers, no laundry, no cooking or cleaning (well except of myself). My bath has always been my "me" time. Once the kids were fed and bathed I would hand them over to their father, light a candle, find a good book, turn down the lights and soak away the day in a froth of bubbles, I would emerge red faced and completely relaxed. Sometimes I would emerge to chaos and sometimes it was to a peaceful house but I always recharged and ready to face whatever came next.
It's easier now, that we're almost empty nesters, to find the time to retreat to my safe haven at the end of a long day and yet it's still just as important to me as it was when I had three littles under the age of five all pulling on me at once. So here's my question...rather you're a busy momma of littles or home alone, when's the last time you took time for yourself to do nothing? To sit and read a good book, to take a nap, to take a walk not for exercise but just to walk. I think for most of us it's been too long that we found time to rest in the midst of chaos. I'm hoping that you take the time this week to find the time to do nothing for a little while, to be completely unproductive and rest in His presence and if you're lucky you'll look just like my precious new grand dog.