The Worst Kind of Lonely - Busyness

On my personal blog - Through His Eyes - I wrote last week how it felt good watching Little House on the Prairie reruns on TV land and the simple life the Engles lived. We have created a culture of busyness and although we and our children are experiencing way more today than people did one hundred or even fifty years ago, it is at the expense of relationships.

God created us as relational beings. We are most healthy when we are in community with God and other people. So who do you think is most happy with our culture of busyness, God or our arch enemy , the devil? Who do you think is most proud of all of our many activities, God or you know who?

Here is how life in this world that is being patrolled by the "thief who is only here to steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10) is messed up. Anything God blesses us with to make life better and more full, the thief wants to turn into something that will kill us, or separate us from God and each other. Some examples: Sex, Money, Internet, things we are passionate about, kids activities, experiences.

Anything we put in front of God is an idol, or sinful. This includes believing that it is more important that our kids have experiences than relationships. A busy life pulls us way from God and people. Talks while running from one event to another while cramming down some Mickey Dees are not community. And the ones that I believe who suffer the most, are the ones we are trying to give the most, our kids.

Our busy lives keep our kids away from dinners with families, quiet conversations about life, important mentoring relationships with their parents, close friendships with other kids, times when we are not exhausted, church on Sundays, and many other relationship building times. Besides the financial costs of our experiences, the relational costs are huge. Research shows that kids today are lonely, and it is the worst kind of lonely. They are not lonely because they have no parents or friends. They are lonely while surrounded by people. They are too busy.

Parents please look: Teens surveyed today say what they would like to have most in their lives is relationships with adults, especially their parents. More relationships and less experiences or stuff.

It is not because parents who want their kids to experience everything life has to offer are mean and purposefully trying to hurt their kids. It is because as with everything else we put in front of God, the thief has convinced us they are best.

So, now what? Slow down. Lighten your family load. The feature article this week at Homeword.com is Tips for Lightening You Family's Load, by Jim Burns, Ph.D. Click on the article title and check it out.

A few of the tips are;

• learn to say no
• turn off the TV
• Ask what activities can we cut back
• Practice the art of living simply
• Plan free time in to your family's schedule

Replacing experiences with relationship building will make for healthier families and happier and healthier kids.

Serving you in Him

Royal