Trying to be still in a Martha world

Trying to Be Still in Martha World
By: Tara Beattie

I am by no means a hunter or huntress. Not even a little bit. In fact, someone that I love with all my being may have recently told me that I walk too loudly multiple times during our half mile jaunt into the timber to reach a deer blind for some mother/ son bonding. I may have later on told him that if he even attempts to shoot a mama deer with her adolescent baby deer child, I will shove his little behind right out the bay window of the deer blind. This is how we show love and affection.
Here's the back story on our ventures to the deer blind. I love it. I love the peace and solitude of just being. I love being surrounded by nature. This is a place where I find my balance. You see I am taking time out of a busy day with deadlines looming all around (including this blog post) and go with a purpose to seek peace while supporting someone I love doing what he loves.
Let me tell you there is something indescribable about being out in the timber. You leave the hustle behind and find yourself surrounded by peace and quiet. Nothing and no one pulling at you from all directions. This is a place where I feel my shoulders drop and my heart soften. I am at peace and in the moment. I am so thankful for the quiet time watching my son while having a moment with God. I am the type of person that gets overstimulated and have found that I need to be intentional when it comes to finding those moments to be and reset. It is time to be still. A time to reset. A time to be silent. A time to pray and a time to listen.
Let’s chat a bit about two ladies that we can all relate to in the Bible who had the same opportunity. One chose the path of the busy hostess while the other chose the path of being in the moment. We can learn from the story of Mary and Martha. Luke 10:38-42 (NIV) Jesus tells Martha that Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her. Both women had the same options in this story. Martha, who I am sure is like most women who chose the path of hostess. She worried herself in preparation and providing rather than seeing the significance of this moment. Jesus was trying to tell Martha that she chose tasks over an opportunity. Ladies, how many times in our everyday lives do we choose busy tasks over a moment in the presence of Jesus? 
I think Mary’s and Martha’s all have their place in this world. I tend to live my life more along the way of Martha, but I desperately want to be a Mary.
Hurry and busy were some of the most common words yelled in my home. I am not going to pretend anything here. If there was some hurrying and busyness going on there it was not sweetly stated. It probably sounded more like a T-rex screaming at her sweet angels. Not my finest parenting moments. Let’s be real honest here, hurrying and busyness do not bring out the best in anyone. In fact, most often it does the exact opposite. For me, these words brought out rage, stress and completely wrecked my ability to “control” the situation. 
There have been so many times I have given the excuse of being too busy. Too busy for this and too busy for that. Or tired from being too busy for this and that. I rode that excuse for far too long. I have also allowed my family’s schedule to look like a color-coded road map to nowhere. I am done with allowing others to dictate how my family’s time is allocated. You see pre-covid, my husband and I were roommates who co-parented our children. We would take our turns toting our kids to their activities in different directions throughout the week and the weekend. We allowed our marriage to become a roommate situation. We let the world dictate our lives. We let sports own us. Don’t get me wrong here. I am not hating on sports. I love a good competition just like the next gal, but competition and busyness were controlling our lives. Covid created a scenario for much needed reset within our family. We spent time together. We sat down at our dinner table and had meals together. I am not willing to give this up. Most of our evenings will be us gathering around the table talking life and sharing in each other’s lives. 
I thought busy and hurried were how everyone was supposed to spend their days and nights. A life of complete chaos. I am learning that we control how we spend the hours within our day. We are no longer giving in to the demands of schedules set out for our family by others. Our time is precious, and I do not mean that in a flippant manner at all. Time is ours to determine how we spend it.
Our family is really changing our mindset. We are focusing as a family on ensuring that God is the center of our family. We are no longer bound by schedules set out by coaches, work, etc. When God is at the helm, our view of what is important has really changed. Are any of my children moving on to play professional sports? More than likely not. So why should I allow a coach to determine how our family spends their time?
I have been extremely guilty of making empty promises for coffee, dinner or just finding time to be with friends and have failed to follow through due to some excuse. Let’s stop and be completely honest with each other. It is just that, an excuse. I failed and I let busyness be the scapegoat. Accountability is key to following through. Give those around you your best yes if you can swing it. Otherwise, be intentional and real and do not make promises you have no intention of following through with.
Life has a way of knocking you down and taking your breath away at times. I tend to get so caught up in every day busy that I forget the importance of stillness. This stillness allows me to reset, reflect and remind myself of God’s calling and purpose and that is not to overwhelm with busy.
Let me tell you the time in the deer blind was much needed and whole-heartedly good for my soul. It was lovely to get back in balance with myself and God and to watch my son get excited watching the deer come in. It was so good for my soul that I started to enjoy the quiet and drift off a bit until the most putrid smell burned my nostrils. That darling boy of mine, decided he needed to spray doe urine to “bring in the big bucks.” We then proceeded to have a whisper difference of opinions on the spraying of doe urine. I did not throw him out of the blind, lucky for him. But thanks to him, I got a much-needed Mary moment at the feet of Jesus.
I encourage you today to spend more time being a Mary in this chaotic world. This world puts a badge of honor on you if you live like Martha. Ladies, no one wants that badge! Quit living for the world. I have it on good authority and personal experience, that living all in like Martha will leave you stressed out, burnt out, broke down and worn out. Let’s kick the busyness to the curb and seek those precious moments at the feet of Jesus.