Monday, January 06, 2014

Slow: Mary Scene Two




Notes from my Slow Journal:
After reading the and studying the above yesterday {Thursday's post}, I wanted to remember how the day went. It was easier to start slow and then as time slipped on to feel stress levels rising. Slow returned later in the day and then I realized I had time to fix dinner and do a bit of cooking ahead at the same time. However, I got a little too much going and it added stress and hurry plus left a huge mess in the kitchen. Lesson: trying to do too many things at once and/or squeezing more into available time adds stress. Alternating between chores/school worked fairly well. One huge kitchen mess may be harder to clean up than several small ones.

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On to Scene Two with our girl Mary:

John 11

A few thoughts after reading these verses ~ first of all I notice that in verse 6, Jesus was not in a hurry, but on God's timetable. Think of how I would have responded to this need and how my hurry may have added un-needed stress.

Slow is showing patience, I see how Martha heard that Jesus was coming and she ran out to meet Him {busy - not trying to make her look bad, but trying to identify with her} and Mary stayed home {quiet, slow, peaceful, patient} see verses 17-20.



When Jesus arrives, Martha begins her chattering right away {grief, nerves} and Jesus turned it into a teachable opportunity. Jesus stayed outside the village where He met Martha and was asking for Mary so Martha went to get her.

Mary responds to Jesus' call quickly. She is an example of calm but is ready to act when her Lord calls upon her - I love this!

Mary is at Jesus' feet again weeping and her only recorded words are mentioned here. Both Mary and Martha show their faith by their words that if Jesus had been there Lazarus would've lived. Mary places herself in a humble position before Jesus "surrendered, kneeled, unhurried" before her Lord. {italicized words from Ann Voskamp}



Hurry is a desperate grasping at maintaining control, slow is a submitted willingness to choose peace and a humbler choice to not achieve perfection. Hurry is striving for perfection/control. Slow is surrendered.

Consider this: How do others feel around a person of hurry and/or one who is choosing to slow?

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Photos: Emily made bread nearly by herself the other day and the next morning we made it into this delicious Cinnamon Toast - a slow breakfast!