More turtle tips

Last year, I shared some "turtle/tortoise tips* and felt there must be more we can learn from this creature and I found a blog post on the same topic. I'll share some excerpts from it (comments in brown, mine) - you may notice that some are a twist on tips I shared before.

"Where is she?"

Have you heard that question asked even if not verbally?

Mind your mind...

The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

 

You must weed your mind as you would weed your garden.

~Terri Guillemets

#MOMories - You can...

...but you may not.

I remember very vividly my various "Can I?" conversations with my Mum - over 25 years ago. Just like I learnt the difference between "lend" and "give" - that's a story-lesson for another day.

My Mum had a superb command of English. If I may say, she understood and spoke English in English - can't stress what I mean any further. I didn't quite get the difference so when I'd go to her and ask: "Mummy, can I _______ - this or that?", her response was predictably the same: "Yes you can, but you may not."

 

Read the last 2 sentences again and let it all sink in.

 

Now, I use the same phrase on my children for 2 reasons - it is:

1) important that they understand how to ask for permission properly; and

2) even more important that I don't downplay their capacity and capabilities.

 

Let me break it down:

How busy are you?

I know that a lot of people are quick to tell you how busy they are. With the amount of time some people spend sharing how busy they are with others, I can’t help but wonder:

“If you’re really that busy,

 how come you have this much time to spare sharing how busy you are?”

 

I mean if you’re too busy to call or visit people – and spend quality time with them, why would you “waste” your precious time explaining how busy you are to the same people…or others?

Now, I don’t have anything against being busy – the question to ask is: “Busy doing what?” As we know, Socrates was a very wise man and he gave this warning which is very apt these days:

Beware the barrenness of a busy life. ~ Socrates

Let me tell you how I see it, I notice that some people use their “busyness” as an excuse not avoid what they should – i.e. they’d rather be spinning in circles of activity rather than “walking the straight line” of progression. Some others use it as a way to avoid others – and that is unfortunate, if you ask me.



Now one thing you’ll notice from Jesus’ choice of disciples is that He only chose people who were already engaged – i.e. busy. So being busy is not bad as such – it’s just bad when we use it as an excuse not to do what we should. In the “busyness” of my life, I usually assess myself – so that I’m not negatively BUSY i.e. Burdened Under Satan’s Yoke.* Ask yourself: "If I'm too busy to spend time doing the Lord's work - who's work am I doing?"

One thing I try to do is avoid busy for busy sake – when I can.

It’s great to find and have “down-time” rather than be busy doing nothing. So how busy are you?

Solid sand...

...is still sand.

The parable of the wise and foolish man is applicable in every situation in life. Let's read it first:

I never imagined...

...that I'd wear ever 2 different shades of jeans.