Mom, have you ever had that dream that you’re running in slow motion?  You know, like the bad guy or giant toddler or t-rex is chasing you and in your dream, all you know is that you have to run as fast as you possibly can?  You’re not sure where, but you gotta split, like, NOW.

So you start running.  But there’s just one problem.

You’re running in sloooooooow moooootion.

Running in slow motion

You look at your legs and they’re moving quickly.  You should be going super fast and that t-rex’s teeth should be far away in your rear view mirror by now.  But no matter how hard you run, you’re moving about as slow as a two-year-old on a Sunday morning before church.

That’s the struggle of our lives sometimes, isn’t it, moms?  Feeling like no matter how fast we run, we’re still going in slow motion?

I felt that way this morning.  I was asked to meet up with some special people in my life and all I could think about was what hasn’t gotten done yet, as well as what would continue to NOT get done if I agreed to go.

“I feel like there’s no time to get anything done well,” I wrote in my journal to God. “I feel like I’m moving in slow motion, no matter how fast I move.”

Sound familiar?

In our minds, we know we all have the same number of hours in a day.  And we all feel like we’re barreling through each day and that at the end it seems like it flew by.

But when we look back, it’s as if our list hasn’t gotten shorter.  It’s as if our list of to-do’s and check-off’s and commitments remains as long (if not longer) than ever.  That’s what it feels like…running through life fast while accomplishing the list in slow motion.

As I journaled about this frustration, God spoke to my heart, though, and I want to share it with you, mama, in hopes of easing your busy heart a bit.  God helped me realize two very simple truths you need to know today.

Simple Truth #1:  What God asks me in eternity

It’s true we are all moving quickly towards eternity.  Each and every one of us, whether we are believers in Christ or not.  Time does move swiftly and I don’t believe that’s just a perception.  But no matter how quickly time flies, we will all reach eternity.  And when we get there, what will God ask us?

Will God ask, “How much of your list did you get done with the time I gave you?  Was your agenda accomplished?”

Or will He ask, “How did you bring glory to my name in the time I gave you?  Was my agenda accomplished?”

If moms consistently live in the mind frame of “How much of my list did I get done?” we will always, ALWAYS feel like we are running in slow motion.  Focusing on the check-marks of life will perpetually discourage us because as time races forward, our list continues to grow.  I’m reminded of Jesus’ reply to Martha as she accomplished tasks instead of sitting at Jesus feet like her sister:

  “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”  Luke 10:42

So then the simple truth here is this:  moms, we must fight against our single-focus frame of mind that simply says “get it all done”.  Instead, we must slow down to ask ourselves, “What does God call me to today that has eternal impact?”  Then pray that God will give us grace and help us take care of the details.

Simple Truth #2:  Important things take longer

All the important things we don’t find on our checklist, but that God calls us to, simply take time.  Things such as giving time to our children when they talk, spending quality time with our spouse, ministering to a hurt friend, baking a meal for a sick neighbor, taking your daughter out for special time together.  If these were simply check-mark items, we’d probably allot them five to ten minutes, check it off and say, “Moving on!  What’s next?”

But all of these take time…our time, yes, but the gift of time that God has given us.  THIS is really what our time on earth is for.  And I don’t know about you, but I find that when my heart is focused on God, the time miraculously accommodates for it all.

Of course we’ll always need to get things done.  It’s not an option to NOT fix dinner for the kids or to NOT pay the bills or to NOT go grocery shopping.  While we are here on earth, we’ll always feel the pull of the sacred tasks with the everyday grind.  But it doesn’t have to bring us down.

And that t-rex you’re running from?  That isn’t from God.  It’s the pressure you put on YOURSELF to run faster with added,  mostly unnecessary to-do’s.

So as you’re looking at your day and week ahead, ask yourself this:  are my to-do’s balanced with the eternity-focused areas of my life that just naturally take longer?  And if not, what to-do’s can I sacrifice for God’s agenda, the agenda that naturally takes longer?

What next then?

Today, moms, if you’re running in slow motion, I encourage you to stop running for just a few.  In the quietness of your heart, evaluate if your tasks and moments are really a part of the big picture.  Ponder if you can let go of some things in favor of what’s best.

I bet if you stop to take a breath and look at the big picture of eternity, those feet you’re running on will start to feel a bit lighter.  And who knows?  Maybe you’ll even find time to turn around and ask that t-rex if she wants to grab some coffee and talk for a bit.