BUSY, OR EXISTENTIALLY BORED?

I love living in London.

One of the advantages of living in London is that something is always happening.

Life here is fast-paced and full of activity.

But I find that the constant busyness leads to a temptation to try and create busyness when things are slowing down a bit. Of course, I put it down to me liking activity, but it's probably fair to admit that sometimes I fill my time because I'm scared of the boredom that might come with slowing down.

I read a blog post the other day that captured this so well. It's only short, so I'd encourage you to read the whole thing, but here's a quote to whet your appetite:

Our culture now equates busyness with importance, hard work with ability. We like representing ourselves as capable, so our egos swell approvingly with each overtime hour logged. Our work has thus become our identity—when meeting new people, I’m likely to be asked ‘what I do’ before I’m asked my name. Even 2,000 years before Headspace offered free 10-day trials and lifestyle magazines wrote about mindfulness, Roman Stoic Seneca noted this human tendency with enough scathing accuracy to elicit a collective 21st-century cringe: ‘It is inevitable that life will be not just very short but very miserable for those who acquire by great toil what they must keep by greater toil. They achieve what they want laboriously; they possess what they have achieved anxiously... New preoccupations take the place of the old, hope excites more hope and ambition more ambition. They do not look for an end to their misery, but simply change the reason for it.’

So read the entire post on the Salt London blog, and why not put this into practice by ceasing your busyness this August, by enjoying our Holy Smokes Barbecues every Sunday.

HANWELL'S BEST HANGOUT

Among the things I love about living in Hanwell are the great parks, the canal I can walk, run or cycle beside, easy access to Ealing and London, the great schools (I teach in one of them!), the fantastic sense of community here and events that encourage this (we recently had the Hanwell Hootie)...and The Clocktower café! 

I'm very fortunate to only work four days a week, so I love to visit the café on my day off each Friday. It's a great place to relax and hang out!

What do I love most about this café?

• I love the quirky, vintage interior and the different array of seating from bar stools to armchairs and sofas to benches with cushions – a very ‘homely’ environment in which to unwind
• I love the fact that I always bump into someone I know from the local area – it really is a great place to connect with others from the community
• I love the fresh, authentic, home-made food that is available from breakfast to brunch and lunch – not to mention the delicious cakes that are pretty irresistible (the Battenberg being a favourite!)
• I love the slowed-down, relaxed feeling you get there – you are never hurried away – you are always made to feel very welcome by the staff
• I love the fact that it's on my doorstep so I can enjoy it as often as I like – it really is one of Hanwell’s great treasures

If you haven't been – why not check it out on Facebook?

It's good to discover places where you can hang out, and be refreshed from the busyness of life.

I love gathering with the Redeemer community on Sundays to know God’s refreshing and empowering presence in our lives

Jesus said:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28)

And one of the early church leaders explained the truth of gathering together:

...that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord... (Acts 3:20)

Why not come and hang out this Sunday?

I trust that you will also feel welcomed, feel that you have 'come home’, enjoy the coffee and cakes, and know something of God’s peace for you in the busyness of your life.

ONE THING TO TURN BUSYNESS INTO BREAKTHROUGH

2016 is an Olympics year.

I’m looking forward to watching the Rio games, being reminded of the joy of London 2012. And the whole of the UK will be thinking exactly the same thing:

If only this were the Winter Olympics.

In the winter, that well-loved sport of curling appears on the TV, and Britain proves to the world why it’s Great.

No other nation on earth can say, “Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry,” at that speed, with that level of sincerity.

And I think I know why.

The West generally, the UK in particular, and very specifically London, has become a world leader in hurrying.

Recent years have seen the introduction of the takeaway espresso cup. Under what circumstances are you in so much of a hurry that you don’t have time to drink an espresso before you’ve left the coffee shop?

The other day I saw a guy who was so intent on replying to an email on his BlackBerry as soon as possible, that he actually stopped drying his hands in the bathroom to do so.

When did life get so busy that we became unable to live it?

I have a suggestion: stick time in the calendar for reflection – to stop, think, and make sure all the stuff that’s filling your time is actually helping.

Here are the rules:

• Start realistic – give yourself one hour every six months. You’ll instantly realise it isn’t enough, but this is very achievable. ISN’T IT.
• Move it, don’t delete it – if something else comes up at the same time, don’t just delete it from your calendar, move it instead. And always move it sooner!
• Think about where your life is heading – where you’ll be in 1-6 months and 1-6 years.
• Think about what you’ve learned since the last reflection time – taking the time out to do this will teach you what you should have learned already!

And one final tip, if I may.

Redeemer recently finished a set of meetups – I met up with a group every Monday morning at 7am for nine weeks.

Another set of meetups will be starting soon – make sure you sign up when the window opens, so that you get the regular time to reflect with others on what’s important in life.

HOW DELAYS AT EALING BROADWAY ARE A GIFT

"We are signing you in - Please wait."

"Your custom is important to us - Please wait while we attend to your request."

"There is a problem with the connection - Please hold."

"We are experiencing a higher than usual demand for this service - Please wait."

"There are two callers ahead of you - Please hold."

"We are being held at the platform for two minutes to regulate the service."

"65 Ealing Broadway: 6 minutes away."

(Take a breath, this may take a while.)

I have a question for my fellow commuters and other London travellers.

Why do we find delays so frustrating?

Is it because we can't spare the time? Or is it because we feel control is being taken from us?

Is it because we feel imposed upon? Or perhaps we value our time so highly?

Let me suggest a different perspective:

Perhaps a delay, such as waiting for a bus, is a gift of time.

Rather than let a delay cause me irritation or anxiety, perhaps I can use the unplanned pause to look and listen, to reconsider, to let those thoughts that have drifted to the dusty corners of my mind to reassert themselves.

I read that one of the 'secrets' of successful people is pausing, making space for latent thoughts to rise to the surface.

I've another suggestion:

Perhaps I can take more of those unasked-for pauses in the day to voice a prayer, in order to ask for God's perspective on my day and to submit it to Him.

I discovered prayersonthemove.com last week:

Short one liners in an app to focus the mind away from the immediate and onto more important things.

One of the prayers quoted Nicholas Sagovsky:

"So many voices all around tell me what to do. Help me to listen to the still small voice of truth." (1 Kings 19:11-12)

You can download the app here.

Unplanned pauses give us time to conspire with our Father in heaven, to seek his wisdom, his truth and guidance, to commit our agendas to Him afresh.

So next time you have some unexpected waiting time thrust upon you, don't fret, just pause.