AIN'T NOBODY GOT TIME FOR...

PRACTICE: Recall a time when you felt dismissed by a friend or family member.

A few years ago, a news story broke of a woman describing a fire in her apartment complex to a news reporter. Her classic line took social media by storm and could be heard for months across the country around multiple situations, “AIN’T NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT.” Goggle the phrase. Her delivery is hilarious. She is talking about a fire that was probably unintentional. Isn’t that the way we feel about a lot of things… “Ain’t nobody (especially me) got time for that.”

If we are completely honest, the excuse of time becomes a scapegoat for leaving undone things that may be absolutely necessary. We have a saying about time in our home – people find time to do what they want to do. What you want to do does not always align with what you need to do. I would like to suggest that some of our current tasks be placed in the” Ain’t nobody got time” bucket to create time in the “to do” bucket. In other words, prioritize.

We recently had four nieces and nephews visit with their mother for 5 nights. When we settled on their time to visit, the timing looked perfect. As their arrival got closer, our schedules became fuller. At some point, I became overwhelmed with the thought of juggling their much-anticipated visit and the increasing demands of work. The weekend before their arrival, I planned what were the “must do” for work and what were “must do” for the visitors. I wanted to make peach cobbler for the family, but that task went into the “ain’t nobody go time for that” category. I postponed work tasks until the family departed. I intentionally finished my work before coming home so that I could be fully engaged with family.

But just as I adjusted for my visitors, I must intentionally adjust to cultivate and nurture life and relationships. It is not okay to work through dinner every night. It is not okay to neglect the physical and/or spiritual side of life. It is not okay to say that you don’t have time to meet a friend who is struggling. It is not okay to act as if community support and support of community is not important. How would you have felt had you heard your neighbor say “ain’t nobody got time for that,” and your home had burned? Think how you would feel if the response of a friend to you in the time of challenge was “ain’t nobody got time for that.”

Romans 15:2 - Each of us should please our neighbor for their good, to build them up.

PONDER THIS THOUGHT – I find time to do what I want to Do.