Occupation: Human Being

Did you know there are 1900 bloggers on here who describe their occupation as Human Being?  

I like that.  I’m going to make it 1901!

Occupation = a means of passing one’s time, a job, profession, career, employment, activity, task.

Being = existence, the nature or essence of a person, personality, consciousness.

The two are polar opposites, one is about doing and is active while the other is passive, stillness, just resting.

So many times on here I have complained about having too much to “do”.  I’m still caught in the middle of all the busyness of things to be dealt with when someone dies.  I am elated when I achieve something and can tick it off.  I get down when I hit a brick wall and the list seems never ending.

My personal “brick wall” today - dealing with the solicitor – I would post a whole blog but it would be  ** ** ****** * ** **** ** ***** ******* ******* ******* ****** ****** ** **** ****** *****!!

(don’t even attempt to work out what that could mean because it’s random punching the keyboard!  But goodness me I thought he was providing a service – I think his occupation is just BEING my solicitor and not DOING anything!!!!)

But I digress.

I keep getting told I’m DOING really well.

Then I get told don’t DO too much.  I don’t need to fill my days with activity but take time to grieve – which is how I came to write the poem the other day.

All this BEING and DOING made me think of the story of Mary and Martha.

For those who don’t know the story (and even for those that do) this is my version of Luke chapter 10 verses 38-42.

Once upon a time there were two sisters and they were great friends of Jesus. 

One day Jesus came to tea so Martha put on her pinny and set to work in the kitchen.  She became so absorbed in all she had to do that when Jesus arrived she was still busy with her baking and didn’t notice her sister Mary slip out of the room.

Martha warmed the pot and made some tea.  Now where was her lazy sister, she thought.  Carefully she carried the well laid out tea tray to the front room and there was Mary sitting at Jesus’s feet! 

Well Martha nearly dropped the tray, the cheek of it!  There were still scones in the oven and cream that needed to be whipped and here was her good for nothing sister not doing a thing to help.

She hastily turned on her heel to return to her work.

“Martha,” said Jesus gently as she was leaving, “your sister has chosen well to sit by me.” 

“Leaving me to DO everything,” muttered Martha under her breath.  Typical man, she thought, he has no idea!

OK maybe it doesn’t say the last bit but I can really empathise with Martha.  Somebody has to DO things.  Wouldn’t it have made sense for the sisters to work together and then they could both sit down and spend time with their friend?

I can imagine Martha like Monica on “Friends” – a bit of a perfectionist!  But don’t we all want to get things right, do things properly and make a good impression?

Did you know Martha is the patron saint of Housewives?

Martha is also the name of my Great Grandmother.  This picture is one of those printed on the back of a post card.  On the back it says “Mother” in my Grandma’s old fashioned writing.

Martha looks a very stern woman but maybe that’s just the style of the time.  I really should find out more about her and her life. 

 

Do I look anything like her?   I think maybe I have her nose!  The more I look, the more I see.   I can certainly see a resemblance to my Grandma.  Now she was another formidable woman, widowed in her 50s with seven children to look after and a shop to run!

I suppose in her day you just got on with things and kept on DOING.

But I have come to place where I am going to stop DOING so much.  I have given up some of the things I do in order to give me time to come to terms with all that has happened.  (Keep reading to see how this goes!)

I have a Bible verse that has been going through my head that Martha may not agree with but Mary would certainly approve.

Be still and know that I am God.

I can't even remember where it is from.  It's just been there behind all my other thoughts and typically I've been ignoring it in all my activity.

 

“Yes God - I heard but I’ll DO that later!  It would make a good blog entry.”

Now I’m trying really hard to listen properly.

It reminded me of something I read in a book, I can’t claim credit for it.  And as I type this I know I have to slow down for a few minutes and set aside all I HAVE to DO…..

It’s not easy when there are so many distractions but here goes…

Be still and know that I am God

Be still and know that I am

Be still and know that I

Be still and know that

Be still and know

Be still and

Be still

Be