Available

This weekend in church our Father discussed how so many of us tend to be so super busy we don't have time available to schedule any incidentals, and most of the time no time for ourselves.  By the time we cram pack our days and weeks with all of the things we have scheduled whether it is a work, with kids, chores at home or errands we MUST run,  we often have no time or energy left for much else. We over schedule and often times double book ourselves and commitments. We are often too busy being busy.  Sometimes we don't even feel that we can cancel something we have scheduled for something that may pop up at the last minute that may be more important. How do we determine what is important? We say well maybe we can fit it in between getting off work and picking the kids up from daycare- oh wait that is only 20 mins, the drive would be longer than that. If you have a calendar like me, I am a busy body and I feel like if I am not constantly doing something I am wasting time. If I really look at some of the things I am doing though, I probably am just wasting time.  This weekend I rescheduled my household duties to help some friends. Do I love a clean house, YOU BET, does it make me feel organized for my week, HECK YES. In my opinion however, a person is more important then dusting. Yesterday I dropped what I was doing to run an errand to help someone out, was the paperwork I needed to do there when I got back, to my dismay yes, unfortunately no one else did it for me! LOL.
God wants us to be aware when He is calling us. Is he dialing our phone numbers, texting or tweeting? No, but his people are.  HE is not standing outside our boat directing us to cast out our nets in the middle of the day when least expected. But like Peter, HE is calling us to be fishers of men. HE wants us to be available to help HIS people when they are in need. Whether it be a pop-by where we stop to say hi to someone who may be reaching out that we haven't noticed until it is too late. A shut in, a family friend, a widow, someone who is struggling with a loss, needing help to move, someone who may not ask for our help, but that God is directing us to connect with when they need it most. Are you too busy to listen to HIS calling? Can the laundry and household chores wait another day? Can you go to dinner, see a movie or shop another time?
With technology today we should be aware and available to see and listen to what we are being called to do, who we are being called to influence and interfere in their lives with our smiles, kind words, and our time. They are putting it out there, on Facebook, Twitter and all kinds of social media updates! Are we tuned in to other people's needs? Or are we too busy posting our own status? Time is precious to all of us, but sometimes what we think are priorities are just things that keep us busy. Stop today and read some of these posts, call up someone you haven't connected with in awhile, listen to what you are being called to do. It may not only benefit that person, but you as well.
Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run; hurry and scurry puts you further behind. Proverbs 21:5 MSG