It All Started with a Honey Pot
Maybe I’m fanciful, and maybe I’m feather-brained. But this little part of me has always wanted one of these:
The same part of me that’s always thought it’d be fun to churn butter, always wanted to wind a clock, always wondered what it would be to washboard my clothes instead of spin-cycle them.
Well, Dear Reader. This old soul got her dream come true last week: a honey dipper. And a honey-pot.
And with it? Tiny pockets of time throughout my day, when I cannot, no matter what, multi-task.
There’s amber drizzling from a wooden stick, you see. Falling into my tea.
It must be watched.
For this clumsy girl is sure to (and surely has done so) glop the sticky goo all over the place if I don’t watch what I’m doing. I literally cannot multi-task. Which is strange, for me.
So I stand in the quiet and watch, transfixed, and think: how nice.
How nice to do one thing.
“One thing is needful,” Jesus told Martha. To sit at his feet (Luke 10:41).
I watch the honey drizzle and I think on my King. I sit at His feet.
And as I move through my day, I want more of that. More of One Thing.
A young voice beckons and I listen, I engage, fully, in the little one before me. How nice—how needful¬—for this precious child to know this moment was created for them, for our King, for me. Not for them to be swept up in my too-frequent juggling act of laptops and laundry and half-listening.
It feels right, this One Thing.
Later I’m caught in a grocery line, thinking of all the things I could be doing, if only this line would move faster. And I think on that honey. I literally cannot multi-task. But I don’t want this time to be wasted. I want to redeem it, to make it count. Right here, next to the impulse-racks of Chapstick and trinkets, I want to change the world. I can. I can pray. Right here.
Doing One Thing during those stranded moments—they add up. 3,230 hours of my life, wasted or redeemed in the moments stranded.
I want to learn to lay aside my frustration in these moments, learn to embrace them as ordained. Mundane becomes ordained when we begin to see—there is purpose here. It’s not wasted time unless I let it be.
I can pray as I wait. I can message a friend, see how they’re doing, instead of zoning out in the grocery line.
I can quiet my day, close the computer, turn off the t.v., and truly be where I am.
The art of single-tasking. It’s becoming a lost art, I think. And more than that? It’s crucial. I am the guiltiest of all multi-taskers. And while multi-tasking has its place, there are things in life— areas— people– the very reasons we live— that deserve to be single-tasked. (Not even tasked. Lived. Savored.)
And after a day of single, significant moments?
There’s amber dipping behind the mountains, you see. Falling into the sea.
As the day draws to a close, on a good day, I’ll remember moments, because I chose to live them, not streamline them.
Not just a flurry, not just a blur—but a few, oh-so-important moments stuck into that whirwind, of doing One Thing.
“It is not what a man does that determines whether his work is sacred or secular, it is why he does it.” ~A.W. Tozer
What About You?
In the comments, can you share one of the areas you try to guard from multi-tasking? How do you guard that time? This learner wants your wisdom, for I have great lengths to grow in this area.
Tweetables:
“Mundane becomes ordained when we begin to see—there is purpose here. It’s not wasted time unless I let it be.” http://bit.ly/12a0iYV Click to Tweet
“Doing One Thing during those stranded moments—they add up. 3,230 hours of my life, wasted or redeemed.” http://bit.ly/12a0iYV Click to Tweet
“The art of single-tasking. It’s becoming a lost art, I think. And more than that? It’s crucial.” http://bit.ly/12a0iYV Click to Tweet
“As the day draws to a close, on a good day, I’ll remember moments, because I chose to live them, not streamline them.” http://bit.ly/12a0iYV Click to Tweet
Thank you for your words of encouragement to make the most of every opportunity and redeem the time. where I find hope for this is in putting my children to bed early and having those last hours of the day spent with my husband, the Lord, or a book that will produce fruit in my life instead of a glowing screen. While not staying up so late that I can still wake up before my children to prepare for the Day. By rising early I am able to arm myself for the battle of the day. Demands will arise and by going to the Lord for His strength and guidance for what to say yes to and when to say no helps give me peace in midst of the battle. The Prov. 31 women rises early to prepare food for her servant girls- what wisdom we find from the word for daily life! And we are to pray with out ceasing, so comforting to know we do not face the day alone! Thank you for this meditation.
Heather, it’s such a blessing to “see” you! Thank you for sharing your wisdom. It confirms something that’s been pressing on my heart lately, which is to make a point of rising early and also to be mindful of how those early moments of the day are spent. Thank you for this encouragement; you’re a blessing!
Oh, Amanda this post so confirms the way I’ve been feeling today. I went to bed last night just discouraged—100 tasks calling my name, countless comings and goings all needing my attention and I suddenly just wanted to curl up and read a book, and in the morning, I wanted to close the computer and simply be with my children. Today has been that day. Computer put away, my and the kids simply having our day together. One simple little task at a time. I want to remember this picture of the honey drizzler and the honey pot and am so thankful for those little moments when we can only do one thing and in that one thing, we are suddenly a bit fuller at having spent a few quiet moments, just breathing and being with God. hugs and more hugs!
Dear friend, you inspire me to quiet my heart and live moments fully. Thank you for sharing this! I’m so thankful you got that day today– everyday moments, truly lived. I know your kids will cherish these times! You’re such a great parent.
I am sharing this every where I can think of. What a beautiful testament and statement. One Thing. This was the one thing I needed to read and I believe some art projects with these sayings of truth around my home and office space are needed. I pray God pours out his amber blessings on you as this will bless so many. Love you heart!
Melissa, your words brought tears to my eyes. It was so much on my heart that this would be refreshing for at least one person– that just one person out there might read it and find that refreshment that God gave me in that honey-moment. Thank you, you are amazing!