Balance

Balance. One of the most important lessons I am discovering this year is the importance of living a balanced life. I easily get stressed out when things are out of balance. You can have an unbalanced lifestyle that is selfish, but you can also have an unbalanced lifestyle that seems to be unselfish, meaning you can get so focused on a cause or on doing something that seems to be good, that you forget everything or everyone else.

Living in community has made me much more aware of my many flaws, but I've also discovered how to have a lifestyle of service and hospitality. Lately we have had lots of company at our house. I love the opportunities that we have to be hospitable to others. But if I give and give and give of myself I will eventually be empty. God didn't create us to solely give of ourselves, nor were we created to solely take from others. We need both. We need balance. God knew we wouldn't figure this out on our own, so he gave us the Sabbath.

It's tricky discovering how do you really keep the Sabbath. Should I shut myself away from everyone, or spend the day in prayer, or simply relax? I am trying to use my Sabbath for things other than my to do list. I try to not grocery shop or wash clothes on my Sabbath because these are things I have to do. But is it okay to hang with with neighbor kids or friends? Of course, but I also have to to remember I need to spend time with Ben. I might even need to spend time alone. If all of my time is spent with neighbors instead of my husband I'm not balanced. If all my time is spent doing lessons plans I didn't take care of during the week, I'm not balanced. Having a Sabbath should refresh you, give you the energy you need to face the next week.


I think in order to really keep the Sabbath you have to live into a schedule and carefully plan out your week and your time. This is not to say you shouldn't be flexible, but it's good to see where and how your time is being spent. I'm not great at this, but I'm learning.