There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.(Ecclesiastes 2:24-25)

Maybe it is my line of work?

Or maybe it is the season of life I am in – – having four teenagers on the move?

I am not sure, but I know this, I miss Saturdays. Real Saturdays, long Saturdays, boring Saturdays. Saturdays where the only task of the day was to fry up bacon on the stove and brew a pot of coffee.

Saturdays where I would take a walk in the woods with my dog, throw him sticks, watch cardinals and blue-jays circle high up above singing lazy songs.

What happened?

I was talking to a friend this past Sunday and he looked exhausted, eyes sunk under dark circles of toil and ware. “How are you doing friend?”

“I’m tired. Really busy. Feeling guilty.”

“Guilty for what?”

“Not getting done what I planned to do. I was only able to attend two events instead of the four that I was scheduled to attend. I failed my friends, my church, my family again.”

You see, we all feel this way. No more Saturdays of leisure, sitting on the couch with your kids and eating peanuts while talking about what you want to eat for dinner. Gone are the long afternoons of putting together a puzzle or watching raindrops splashing up against the kitchen window. I miss those Saturdays when my dad would put some old records on the stereo and we would lay down in our living room singing together Jose Feliciano’s “Come on baby light my fire.”

Did you know God intended for us to have Sabbaths, often? Days of rest, afternoons of laughter, moments where we look at each other in the eyes and smile. Why are we always running? Who are we competing against? Why do we have to win?

Here is a story from Luke, let it sink in…

“Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.  And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”  But the Lord answered her, “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.”

People actually hate this story. Some even have the nerve to get mad at Jesus’ comments. Is Jesus ever wrong?

“Yeah, but, who will do all the work? There is so much to be done? Places to go…people to see…meetings to attend…sports to watch….projects to accomplish…Bible studies to attend…pictures to be edited on Instagram…movies to go see.”

There is only one problem – – because we don’t stop, we haven’t learned how to listen. Listening takes time. Listening is more than words, it’s moments. I miss Saturday. I miss the discussions with my dad, mom, sisters, friends, neighbors. I miss watching a hummingbird feed just outside the screen door.

I know, I only have myself to blame. But I blame our culture too for making me feel guilty all the time for taking a time-out.

Maybe it is my job, maybe it is my season of life, maybe it is just me?