Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Re-booting


One of my husband's favorite pearls of wisdom:


"Shut-up and re-boot."


It is sound advice. Anyone who has wrestled with a slow or malfunctioning computer, mobile phone, or other electronic device (and who hasn't these days?) knows that in the moment of frustration...the panic of possible data loss...it is not always easy to calmly stop and re-boot.


And yet, this simply step solves most of what ailes our machines.


We must stop. STOP. what we are doing. My husband's word for this is 'shut-up' because having worked in tech support, he knows the knee-jerk reaction of everyone facing technological crisis is to try to explain their way out of it, or attempt to push through it, or work harder--maybe attack it from another angle...tech support hears it many times a day...and all they want you to do is...


STOP (shut-up). AND. RE-BOOT.


I find myself tired of trying to explain my way out of __________... tired of attempting to push through _____________... tired of working harder, doing it MY way, trying another of MY ways...only to end up right back where I started.


a crashed machine.


desperately seeking rest.


a STOP. not to life ~ certainly not! in fact, rather the opposite~ a stop to those things that remove the life from my life. It is all those extra little 'shoulds' that interfere so often with the reality of what is important. the self-imposed rules that weigh so heavily on me, since I can never measure up to them, can never follow them well enough to 'win'. you know, that psuedo-prize of 'goodness'.


"I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game." One of my favorite lines in a song (Defying Gravity/Wicked). and truly a good reminder to not do something just because it is what has always been done.


so, for now, my friends, there are posts to be posted and pictures to be shared...but I have stopped to re-boot. a welcome and needed halt. and one that will have me running stronger and with greater capacity soon.


"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil 4:7

8 comments:

StefRobrts said...

Nice to see you're back. Sounds like someone is getting a bit burnt out. However I hear your performance in the current production is really something to see! I think we'll be there Saturday. Can't wait :)

If you ever need to reboot you're welcome to come for a hike with me - that's my favorite way to reboot. Just go for a walk in the woods and let everything else go.

Tamara said...

You wrote it perfectly and I think your rebooting is a perfect way to say - stop justifying and refocus - reclaim - rededicate - reprioritize... it is a good place to be and one that often brings me to my knees before the Lord... and that is never a bad place to "shut-up" and "reboot"... hugs!

Dee said...

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! Good, provoking thoughts that I will be chewing on throughout my day.

Hugs!

snazzykc said...

I do this often and I am nowhere as busy as you are...enjoy some of the moments during the next few weeks of Magenta and school...

Goofiernu said...

Thank you, Annaliese. You have put into words what I've been feeling lately. I, too, am tired of playing by the rules of someone else's game and it's definitely time for a reboot!
Hugs!!!
Heidi

Dee said...

Have you shut up and rebooted, cuz I don't see any pics of the play?
:0)

Ali said...

HA! I was just saying I had been re-booted by the car accident I had... I should just shut up and re-boot.

LOVE your blog and its title.

Anonymous said...

Keep posting stuff like this i really like it