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Unbalanced

As my wife would be quick to point out, I have a tendency to overcommit and say "yes" to too many things.  It seems like if I sense a moment of spare time and someone comes along and asks if I can help with this or that, then the next thing I know I'm sitting in another meeting with another group of people trying to accomplish some good.  But as any smart husband will learn to do, I have gotten better at running things by my wife before agreeing to them...most of the time.

And I'm willing to bet that most people's lives are pretty similar in some aspects.  We all want to do so many things: work (or at least make money), spend time with family, spend time with friends, serve our community, enjoy hobbies, spend time with ourselves, etc. There are only so many hours in the day so how do we do it?  How do we balance work, family, friends, church, and taking of ourselves?  We don't.

Have you ever balanced two kids on a see-saw?  Or looked at one of those old balance scales where you place object on each side?  In order to balance kids on a see-saw or objects on these scales you have to separate them, create space between them. 

I don't know about you, but some of the areas of my life cannot be separated.  I don't stop being a husband and father when I get to work.  I don't refuse to answer banking questions when someone stops me in the grocery store or calls me at home.  I don't only act like a Christian at church (that's a biggie but we'll stay short on it for now).  I have learned that whether I like it or not, I am a representative of every organization I am a part of everywhere I go.  I represent my family, my church, my employer, and several other boards I'm currently serving on everywhere and every minute.  My life often times has very little balance because it is fully integrated, it's not separated at all.

So maybe we should quit trying to balance life, quit trying to put this part on one side and that part on the other.  Perhaps we should focus more on better integrating all the areas of our life so that we can accomplish more and be truly happy.  That's how Jesus did it.  Luke 2:52 reads, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man."  He grew intellectually, physically, spiritually, and relationally and that's shared in just one verse.

So let's stop the balancing act and enjoy a happy integrated life.
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