Being Mary in a Stress Filled Martha World

Busy…busy…busy. The word that every woman knows. I’ve gotten to the point where it is hard for me to sit still because I am constantly busy. From work to the various (and I mean quite a few) organizations that I am either apart of or head-up, to taking care of the kids to just trying to be a mediocre (I’m really not too good at it) house wife.

Sometimes I get so busy and forget about the most important things to me…..my family and my faith. I am constantly volunteering or helping others that I don’t always get to just sit down and enjoy time with my family. I am a planner…which usually has me stressed out even more.

We get the kids every other weekend, holidays, and school breaks (I wish we could keep them full-time). Usually I have almost every second of our time with them planned with things and activities to do. I like to stick to a schedule and get aggravated if it is not followed. My husband on the other hand is not big on following my schedules or being “on time.” I will admit though it gets very tiring working all week and running nonstop on the weekends so I don’t blame my husband one bit!

When I am thinking of everything as another bullet on the schedule….I’m really not really spending “quality” time with my family. When we would be doing something as a family I would be stressing over what we were going to do after that or the next day. At my kids birthday parties I am always running around trying to make sure that everything is in order. I also don’t just go with the motions. I move the party along like it is on a strict agenda. Birthday parties are supposed to be fun! I don’t take time to enjoy that my kids are having a good time. My mind is always racing at these types of things and I usually become grouchy or short tempered. That is NOT fair to my family. I made a vow a few months ago that I would quit doing this. I want every second I spend with my kids to be quality time. I want them to have 100% of my attention. I don’t want them to remember back when Mommy Kirstie was always distracted or hateful during family outings.

Worrying and being stressed is not good for our health but definitely not good for our faith. Before I got back into church I never thought of stress as being something that was a big no no when it comes to faith. Think about it….how do you think the Lord feels about you doubting his abilities by stressing if something was or was not going to happen? That’s pretty much a slap in the face to him. We are supposed to take our problems/worries/doubts to him in prayer. We learn this in the story of Martha and Mary in the book of Luke.

^“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42 (New International Version)

Everywhere I turn this story comes up. I have heard it discussed several times in different churches in the past few months. I believe that is God’s way of telling me….”Hey….you need to learn this lesson and learn it quick!”

There is a book titled “Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy With God in the Busyness of Life.” I have not read it yet but I know I need to and soon! It can be bought here on Amazon.

The description says, “Like Mary, you long to sit at the Lord’s feet…but the daily demands of a busy world just won’t leave you alone. Like Martha, you love Jesus and really want to serve him…yet you struggle with weariness, resentment, and feelings of inadequacy.”

All women should strive to be Mary. One way to start is by praying every time you start to get worried/stressed. I still struggle with this…but I can tell you that when I pray and truly mean it my family is blessed. Take your problems/worries/doubts to the one person that can fix them. Allow him to help you in your time of need. He will be your best and most faithful friend.

Go to him and you will not be let down!