Life is a balancing act.  Between home, work, school, family, kids, spouses, friends, and church there has to be some pretty strategic planning and on-hands management happening to make everything work smoothly — forget smoothly, I’ll settle for just getting things all headed in the right direction!

I know I am not unique in this, but I’m going to say it anyway — I’M SELFISH!  I WANT ME-TIME!

In the days of small children and career, I actually never got “me-time” unless you count the ride on the subway 🙂    I used to try to take a bath and call that “me-time” but with the kids, one and then another, banging on the door, I soon switched to showers.  After I retired I thought “NOW my time is my own!”  And it was — for about three months.  Then the family began to close in with new needs and I discovered an entire world of people who need help and encouragement, and I jumped back in the fray.

I have come to realize that my personality type is a helper type.  If someone needs help — with anything! — and I have the ability to help, I’ll do it.  Consequently my days are relatively full and my nights, well, who needs more than 7 hours sleep, anyway?

How many people have told YOU to make room for yourself?  Perhaps even as you read this you said to yourself “It isn’t selfish to want time to myself.”  Maybe someone counseled you with words like “you can’t help others if you don’t take care of yourself first”.  Or perhaps “all work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy”.  (I guess that depends on who Johnny’s friends are!)

These adages, and others like them, sound great to our natural selfish desires.  In fact, secular counselors push putting yourself first, taking care of yourself, getting your needs met, etc. etc. etc.  The ‘me-first’ generation.  And they exist in every generation.  Unfortunately for us, those adages do not mirror Christ or His Holy Word.  The Holy Scripture calls for sacrifice, laying aside our selfish desires to follow the One who saved us.  He expects us to live a lifestyle of constantly pouring out — our time, our treasure, and our talents — to further His Kingdom.  And as we pour out, He pours in, filling us to overflowing with His love, peace and joy, and strengthening us and providing for us so that we can keep going on the path He has chosen for us.

Don’t get me wrong — even Jesus took a night off from the disciples to go commune with Father God.  But then He got right back at it.  Which is just what we need to do.  Every day.  Set aside time to be with Father before we set about our day and see how much farther our energy and strength take us — and how much more peace in which we dwell.  When we start the day with Father, He gives us wisdom for completing everything we have before us and understanding for dealing with the people and unexpected circumstances we encounter.

How about joining me in climbing off of that tightrope and into the arms of the Father?  It’s a great place to dwell.

Isaiah 26:3  “You [God] will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”