A small shell from the State Beach on Martha’s Vineyard
Good Evening, God!
My wonderful husband Kit and I have spent (invested) our day curled up at home. Snug. Relaxed. Happy. We have not gone out. We have not worked. Well, I have sort of puttered. But, slowly. And only intermittently.
There is a lovely quote from George MacDonald about how “Work is not always required of us. There is such a thing as sacred idleness which is now fearfully neglected.” If that was true in MacDonald’s time, which had a legally enforced Sabbath — blue laws requiring stores to be closed on Sunday — how much more true it is Today with our 24/7 lifestyle! Yikes!
The trouble is, God, that busy is sort of addictive. Being busy makes us feel as if we matter. As if the world — or at least our local part of it — can’t do without us.
We DO matter, God! We matter to You! And we must matter to ourselves as well. Matter just as we are . . . not as we might become if we only work harder, learn more, earn more, do more.
Hmm. Your message of LOVE is far more counter-cultural than I let myself realize. WOW!
The interesting thing is, God, that scientific studies show that when we practice Self-Compassion (loving and respecting ourselves), we do better. We do everything better! Well, of course YOU know that. That’s why You said that we are to Love our Neighbor AS we Love Ourselves!
But, of course, I am having to redefine what LOVE means to me . . . undoing the World’s definition that Love is GIFTS, TREATS, ADVENTURES, and CONSUMING.
To me, Love is often just Time Together, as when Kit went with me looking for shells. This shell is far more precious for my finding it with him. Time with loved ones . . . time with You . . . that’s LOVE!
Story teller,
A Moment with God 
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