Amazon Prime, digging up weeds, and drawing on whiskers.

I went and broke my streak as "most uninvolved school parent" this week. If this was a good idea or not is still up for debate. I signed myself and daughters up to be "head of make up" for my son's school play. The play is Shrek. Have you seen Shrek? Kinda' a heavy on the make up production. Did I mention there are 27 rats that need whiskers and that parents today do not know how to draw on whiskers?

My daughter has gotten a first hand experience at what it means to volunteer. She is a talented make up artist and loves children and being a part of stage production. I thought she might use her blush brush to poke the parent in the eye who spoke to her rudely...when all she was doing was being helpful and going above and beyond the call. Welcome to the world of people, sweet child.

Did I mention that parents today do not know how to draw on whiskers?

Or wipe make up off of their children?

And you know who I blame? I blame Amazon Prime. Sounds crazy, I know, but hang with me here for a minute.

I can not even begin to explain how Amazon Prime has saved my life in the last two weeks. Out of green make up sticks and opening night is tonight? No problem. Amazon Prime will get it here in time! Captain of the Guard needs black gloves in two days and there is no time to get to the store? Easy! Amazon Prime! I think I have completely forgotten how to create margin in my life because who needs margin when Amazon Prime can step into your life and hand you what you should have done weeks ago, and now have zero time to do?

And maybe you do not agree and are just better at managing life, but this week has been eye opening to me. I need more time. Like the fishes and loaves, I need time to multiply. Parents know how to draw on whiskers, people. They just don't think they have the time to do it.

But it is more than time. And it is more than better managing. It is about recognizing the weeding that needs to be done. It is about being aware when the stress level goes up, and the pile of work on your desk grows, and knowing what actually matters and needs your attention and what can wait until later. Or maybe even never.

I started to think that coming back from a five day away working retreat straight into the mess of my life with the added bonus of tech week and doing make up for a cast of 99 fifth and sixth graders was not my brightest idea. But here is the thing. In that time away? I grew deeper roots. Roots in sisterhood, roots in Christ, roots in faith and trust and everything and quite frankly the only thing that truly matters. Roots that you can not order on Amazon Prime, because nothing life saving happens with a click of a mouse and is dropped on your doorstep in two days.

When it comes to our spiritual life and really getting to know who we are as the beloved, we are required to do more. We are required to plan ahead. We are required to do our part and show up early and recognize the weeds that we have allowed to grow because we have been too busy focusing on anything and everything but God. We need to create margins with some serious intention, knowing when to say "no", knowing when to let go, and understanding that while a click of the mouse is super convenient, it only reinforces our bad habit of waiting until last minute, running until we are empty, relying on the fast and immediate to save us.

I love Jesus. I believe in God. And I am trying to give my heart to Mary. But I so easily fall into the desire for the fast and immediate cure. And so praise God for the 27 rats, and the adorable ogres, and the endless drawing on of whiskers. Because how often do we stop what we are doing to sit with others who need our help? To literally hold their faces in our hands, to cleanse their cheeks, to praise them for a job well done, to draw on love with love? 27 times.

Are you racing today? Stuffing endless things into an already packed day? Are you being short with loved ones because you are stressed? Do you speak to strangers or co-workers or that school volunteer out of love, or are you biting and short tempered in your response because the quick click of the mouse is no longer fast enough? It might be good to think about this. And it is probably a really good time to think about where your roots have been planted, what has been watering them, and how they have grown.

Last night I dreamt I was on a deck and weeds had grown up and through the cracks. I remember very little about this dream, and I know there was more to it, but in prayer this morning I recalled the yellow buds, and being told by a voice to get my hands under the deck, and to get at the root; to pull them all out and not worry about the dirt or filth on my hands. This dream popped into my head just as the distractions - the weeds - in prayer time began to enter my mind. And it stopped me in my tracks...and I hit pause. And I thought about it for a good long while. Because this entire week I was feeling like I had taken on too much, that I should have remained uninvolved, that I have better things to do with my time. But I think that is the Amazon Prime in me talking.

Good work, good relationships, good things that God wants us to plant and water....they are going to take time and they are going to take up your time. And sometimes, they even need whiskers.