A Balancing Act

Balancing who you are.
Balancing how you parent.
Making choices to produce balanced children.

I started this post weeks ago, but then my friend Megan who writes at Tending the Sheep wrote this post about extremes and balance – “Life to the Extreme.”

It inspired me to write – and I discovered I too had my own draft going titled “A Balancing Act.”
I’m trying to unearth when I feel the most content, happy, fulfilled, and balanced. Where is the happy medium? I am not much for extreme solutions and often shy away from those types of suggestions. But, sometimes I wonder if they might be a good place to start. I could go extreme. In plenty of areas. Should I?

Then I read Megan’s article and I had to agree.

She says, “Being balanced is way, way harder than being extreme. And while being extreme often brings praises from those outside our homes, balance brings peace to those in our home.”

I don’t care what people think. Or at least I don’t most of the time. I don’t want to care, and I’m learning to care less every day.

I am focusing on what brings peace in our home and peace to my mind and heart. For starters I am finding that when I am true to myself, my instincts and how God has wired me – I am at peace. I need to follow his leading in my communications and in my relationships. I’m choosing peace. I’m choosing calm, and I’m determined to put the rest out of mind and out of our lives. I’m focusing on Him.

Amidst it all…
I’m seeing that something always has to give. I can’t have all of life in order all of the time. I just have to prioritize. Some things can take the back burner and in some areas I can give. Other areas are more necessary, and important; they just can’t give. I’m trying to look to the Lord and the things he prioritizes. I want to mirror him.

I’m hoping to prioritize:
love
people
growth
joy
and ultimately …. pursing Jesus as an individual and as a family.

How can we show His love to this world?
How can I show His love to my family? our friends?
How can we show His love to the people the Lord has strategically placed in our paths?

I want everything else to fall away – or for us to selectively put it away.
Nothing is more important then emulating Jesus and being His hands and feet to this world.
I believe a clean home, organized life, well-fed family, family traditions, activities that create memories, meetings and courses that help us learn  – are all important and all valuable.

Those things enhance our lives, until they don’t.
Those things enlighten and fulfill us, until they distract.
Those things enrich our souls, until they dominate.