Take a step back and slow down

Last night I was talking to my friend Tina and I was telling her how busy my life and has been and will be for the next few weeks. After moving into the new house and vacation, work has been extremely busy. I worked 52 hours after coming back from vacation and I'm on my way to another 50+ hour work week. Next week will be more of the same. You think the weekends were meant for relaxing but last weekend was the CLP and this weekend is the charasmatic conference and spiritual night at Annunciation. I'll be lucky to be able to rest the following couple of weekends. I've been keeping myself VERY busy and spreading myself thin. I have to be reminded every once in a while to slow down. I have to be reminded I can't do it all. Before ending our conversation my friend Tina read me a prayer. It is so me. It is how I've always lived my life and how I need to be reminded to slow down. I post it here to share with everyone to remind them to please slow down and enjoy the world outside and what God has given us with each new day. Take time to relax and breathe and smell the roses.

Prayer to slow down

Life moves to fast for me, Lord. I rush through work weeks of full schedules and fill my leisure time with meetings and social gatherings. All of what I do has merit. I tell myself I must earn a living, must spend time with family and friends, must serve my Church and community. Yet I seem to have forgotten where business becomes simply busy-ness and where obligation overrides common sense. Keep in my mind the Holy Family at Nazareth, the quiet atmosphere of work and prayer in which Christ's greatness grew. Keep me focused on the quality rather than the quantity in what I do. Guide me toward a simpler lifestyle in which I appreciate more what is here, and in which I work less to fill my time with things I don't need. May I listen again to the eternal truths of Christ within me. Bring me back to that balance of body, mind and spirit where I can find myself, my Christian values, and Christ once again. Amen!

Thanks Tina for sharing and reminding me to slow down and that I can't do it all!