Balance

Balance is a 7 letter word that is one of the hardest to obtain in our lives. I had a minister tell me before John and I married that I was about to enter into the hardest challenge of my life. I quickly said marriage? He said no- Balance.

Balance is so tricky

We should be:
Disciplined without being harsh
Firm but yet not unyielding
People with a great work ethic-but not work-aholics.
Great listeners - but there is also a time to be heard.
Playful parents- but retain the respect of our children.
Workers for the Lord but greater still worshippers.

I do know that I am not there yet but I have been working on it.

Have you ever loaded your washing machine? You know what I am talking about you have 50 items to wash and you just don't want to do another load. Your deductive reasoning runs out the door as you convince yourself it will all fit. You pray for the lid to shut. You exhale when you can hear the agitated action of your infuriated machine. The Maytag spits on you when you walk out of the laundry room. You continue your chores and suddenly think- I did not know that _________ (fill in your city) was known for it's earthquakes. No wait- it is just the spin cycle. The noise is so loud that is sounds like 20 elephants have taken roost on your Maytag- giving it the run for it's life. What is wrong? Your machine is out of balance. That is the visual of what your life looks like when you are not submitted to his daily will.

I have lived this way for years. I have no problems with working. In fact- I love to be organized, have a plan, scratch off my list, be productive and go to all day until I hit my bed at the end of the night exhausted. All of this was great until 12 years ago a husband was ushered into my life followed by two daughters. Suddenly my spin cycle was out of whack. I had to re-arrange some of the "laundry" in my life. How do I fit them into my great life plan? Some days I still don't know- but I AM getting better- I AM a work in progress.

My Mother was and is a great Mother. I talk to her daily and consider her to be one of my best friends. Even in the greatness of her mothering skills- I can't remember one time that she ever sat down and just "played" with me. She would read to me at night, would listen to my problems, be there for me if I skinned a knee- but we never played together. When I had kids I determined that I would "play" with my kids.

When I first started playing with my kids I would time it. I know confession is good for the soul. I was so awkward I felt like a duck who had suddenly grown limbs. I made myself do it. Please don't think that I did not love my kids- I do. I just did not know how to have fun with them- yet I knew that I needed to. The more I did it- the more comfortable it became. I began to look forward to having fun with them daily. Now I feel embarrassed to even think about those days.

Whatever area that you are struggling with balance in your life today- HE is the one that can help you. Some of you have been promised great things in your life from the Lord. You have not seen it come to pass. Life is a process. He is watching to see if you will be faithful in the little things and will promote you to the greater.

I heard a minister say the other day- we want to go around the world and cast out the devils out of people when we don't have the victory over the sink filled with dirty dishes.

We all have talents, abilities and callings that we were given:

Romans 12:6-8 (New International Version)

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his[a]faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

All of these are great talents- but they can also be done in extreme- we have to be careful that we keep all of it in balance. We have a reponsability to keep our life in balance.

Be faithful
Be balanced
Be willing to do what you hands find to do

As for me.....I need to run I have a washing machine looking for me!