During an extremely labor-intensive psych class last quarter, I read an article called "Are You Addicted to Stress?"

The answer was obvious. Well, Duh. Aren't most Americans? If the American dream once was a cozy house, a family, an automobile and maybe a television, how much more complex is it now? As far as I can tell, my life is still not complete: I do no have an iphone, I'm only involved in one sport, I'm not earning scholarships fast enough, I only get to go out with my friends 3 nights a week. But, by golly, I'm going to work my butt of, so that someday, I will be able to schedule a busy and accomplished life into my iPhone.

But then I watched a Nooma video called Noise, followed by one called Shells. Good stuff. A good question was raised. When have you actually showed down, taken out your iPod, disconnected the Internet, turned your cellphone off and actually saught peace, actually pursued quiet, and actually persue God? In the next video, we're asked about all the good things we're doing, all the extra little activities that fill up the nooks and crannies in our schedules--book clubs, facebook, relationships, your hip-hop class, a yoga class twice a week. Is it possible that these all these scattered good things are keeping us from pursuing that Best Thing, from fulfilling the purpose for which God gave us this life in the first place? Maybe slowing down, recharging and therefor having the energy to wholeheartedly pursue the one or two things you love is better thans scrambling to fulfill the 43 engagements you're scribbled into your planner this week.

These are questions to ponder, but questions I feel I considered much too late. I just finished the quarter from hell: 3 difficult 5-credit classes, 2 other 2-credit classes; 6 hours of dance a week and 2 hours of teaching dance; memorizing and quizzing on 4 books of the Bible, and travelling to Minneapolis in the middle of a school quarter; being on the leadership teams for both Bible Quizzing and 2 youth groups I'm involved in; 2, maybe 3 Bible studies. . . Needless to say, the weeks were just packed.

And I survived. Kept my 4.0 at the college all year; danced 7 routines in the spring recital and did a pretty darn good job; placed in the top 7 for quizzing, and my team placed 6th at the national tournament; I saw God's impact in the lives of dozens of youth I'd been serving on both leadership teams. . .Needless to say, the blessings were just packed in.

But I'm realizing that something has to give. It always does, doesn't it? I went from being a social butterfly with a few extracurricular activities to a rather beotchy type-A overachiever with a packed list of credentials. A LONELY type-A overachiever clutching to her unending to-do list.

Then, while watching the second Nooma video, I realized something: that one thing, or Best Thing in my life is people. From helping and loving people is where I used to gather my joy and strength. Connecting, helping, communicating, loving--these are my spiritual gifts. That is what i should be doing. That is my act of worship.


So as I try to figure my life out for my last year at Whatcom, probably my last year with my family, and my last year as a kid, really, I'm bracing myself to let go of 43 little things, and getting ready to pursue the few big things that will let me more fully seek God. I like challenges, I like accomplishing things. This won't be easy, but it will be good. . .