Too Busy

Life . . . is busy.

It makes me wonder, however, what is it busy with? Have I made the most out of my busyness, have I used my time for myself, to make things better for myself or did I use it to serve others?

It hit me this morning, while reading my devotions. I feel like I hear the words "too busy" so often. From myself, from students, from friends, from people in the Church . . . I think from pretty much just about anybody.

Is busyness crippling? Is it a result of our individualistic nature that we find ourselves so embedded in? Everything seems to be all about 'me' now. We are fed this line everywhere we go. It's about what makes 'us' happy, what fulfills my wants, desires, needs. We are a hardworking society, which is not all-together a bad thing but if it is on account of sacrificing relationships or having time to help those around you . . . well . . . what do you think?

"You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave" (Philippians 2:5-7, NLT). Paul tells us what our attitude should be; "Don't be selfish . . . Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too" (Philippians 2:3-4, NLT).

Over the last few weeks, our group has often talked about how yes we stop to talk to a homeless person in Toronto, handing them a bagged lunch, but all of this is during our alloted outreach time each week. What about outside of that time? Do we find ourselves stopping in the same way to sit and just chat for a bit? or are we headed to our destination in haste having no time to take a moment for another. I know I, myself, have done this many times. We all have our excuses as to why we don't have enough time . . . but it makes me think that God is bigger than our excuses, he sees right through them and though he does not condemn us in them, he continues to encourage us to walk in his ways, to love our neighbour as ourselves to the point of putting their needs ahead of ours. Anything less, simply put, would be unchristian and disobedient.

I like this one paragraph in my readings this morning, that really ties in that I would like to share with you:

"I think of how Jesus lived. I've heard many a sermon on what a busy man Jesus must have been. I'm not so sure about that. He had many demands pressing in on him from every direction, but he wasn't busy in the same way we are. He wasn't running from meeting to meeting or from practice to practice. He very well might have spent many nights sitting with a group of friends over dinner, lingering for hours and hours, just talking about life. By today's standards, that might even be called lazy and self -indulgent. But what mattered to Jesus was people - listening to them, loving them, and helping them. He was busy with the slow work of taking time to care for people. He was never too busy to stop and help someone" (A. Van Schooneveld, Hope Lives, p30).

That is my prayer, that I will learn to never be too busy to stop and help someone in need. This is part of my journey in following Jesus and his call on my life. To put aside my own wants, to put aside the ways of western society that have dictated my life for so long, so that I can follow God to the fullest. This is a process, one that he will continually help me with and through and there will be many times still that I will fumble and fall short but thankfully God is patient and he will continually encourage me and help me in this. What a wonderful Father we have, that Jesus might come and be like one of us to show us the true meaning of relationship and the utmost importance it has in our lives and in the lives of all our neighbours.

I encourage you . . .

Don't be too busy!

Constance

As we are preparing for our first JAMM Cafe this coming Sunday, going through various information and facts on Human Trafficking I remembered back to one of the projects I worked on with my group and presented on my DTS. In it my group discovered a music video entitled, "Constance." We instantly found it incredibly moving and wanted to include it in our presentation. It shows a 'closer to home' side of human trafficking.

Watching it again and sharing it with the girls in my room, I felt I wanted to include it in my blog. Constance is a story about a girl in the Philippines victimized by Human Trafficking. It was created by Mr. J Medeiros. It has inspired an international human rights movement called the "Constance Campaign." Mr. J spearheaded the movement, and has partnered with Non-Profit's like XXXChurch and HumanTrafficking.org.

Though the video doesn't show anything, it does elude to things that may be uncomfortable and not suitable for young children.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqyLRpGgxRs&feature=player_embedded

Lyrics:
1st verse:
An old man vacationing, he stands patiently
under a hotel sign that blinks vacancy
he’s thinking maybe he’s too late to make the drop off
till a truck coming his way breaks and stops short
and now he's out of sorts and you can see he’s sorta nervous
walking to the passenger door to meet his ordered service
this is someone’s daughter working blames his conscience
when the driver says “she’s my youngest, her name is Constance”
he comments “and its only 6 dollars per visit
just don’t leave any marks on her, it hurts business”
thought for a minute and he confessed “that’s fair”
since it was three dollars less then his cab fare.
“how old are you honey” she says “I’m thirteen.”
her nose was runny, its raining in the Philippines
he handed over the money in a chilling scene
the truck drives off and now he’s on the hunt to kill her dreams
the sign reads no vacancy, he leads Constance to a room
he has rented for taping see,
he’s about to turn six into six thousand
and all you have to do is click on your web browser
its not illegal to use raping as cash crop
as long as it says she’s 18 on your laptop
the sound of rain is her backdrop laying there
like she’s waiting for somebody to say they care
while the tears of God fall down the window pain
she feels unholy like her Father doesn’t know her name
Marry Magdalene and the Woman At The Well
He knows everything that happened and in His arms she fell.

hook:
repeat x2
in his arms she fell
will you stay with me

2nd verse

He’s 21 and all alone in his household
he’s tempted by the quiet he feels and the mouse he holds
the silence of his spouse is cold
so he’s about to help that man get his six thousand gold
one click and now she’s sold
withholding his conscience scrolling through the comments
there she is looking confident a picture of Constance
in a series of video clips, “adult content”
the title blinks in bold letters like the vacancy sign
its his time to go get her
its like his mind doesn’t know better
her soul is crying out “let me go” but he wont let her
he got her trapped inside his media player
held captive by his need to replay her
its a matter of he being here and she being there
that’s why he doesn’t feel the need to care
guilt is in the seed he bares
spilling his shares of the profit
on a 500 million dollar market
where children are regarded as product
and traded like stock tips
and raped for the sake of our pockets
his lap top sits like a window into Constance room
where he exits cause its almost noon
and he’s expecting his wife home soon
with new clothes for the baby
she’d be angry if she saw his new lady
a thirteen year old Filipino named Constance
trust me girl God has not forgotten
He knew Marry Magdalene and the Woman at the Well
He knows everything that happened and in His arms she fell

hook:
repeat x2
in his arms she fell
will you stay with me