Here we are…another Sabbath.

I sometimes struggle to keep balance in my life when it comes to work, family, and rest. I often find myself going in spurts. I will over-work, which leads neglecting my family and myself. So, I then shift to trying to focus on family time – often with limited success because I’m already tired. Then I hit the wall and want to do nothing for as long as possible. But all too soon I know if I don’t get back to work I will fail in my responsibility to my clients.

Do you see the deadly cycle?

This way of living brutalizes all three areas – work, family, and rest – of my life. I actually love all three areas of my life, but I end up not doing any of them well when I’m out of balance.

Here’s the beauty of the weekly Sabbath. It’s not a legalistic requirement, it’s a gift from our Creator who knows how we need to live to enjoy every aspect of life. I don’t do this perfectly, and some weeks are, by far, better than others, but here’s what I like my week to look like.

Monday through Friday is work time, but this year I am focusing on stopping work at an appropriate time every day. Yes, I know there will be days – and even seasons – where this will be hard, but I’m being intentional about “closing shop” at appropriate times.

Friday nights begin my Sabbath. I love to start it with time with my wife, so this is date night. I’ve not done a good a job of keeping this date night recently, yet I love this time – so I’m refocusing on spending that time with her. Enjoyed a nice night out with her last night.

Saturday is my Sabbath rest, but this doesn’t mean I don’t do anything. It means I do the things that I really enjoy and that rejuvenate me. I spend time with family and friends. My new hobby is playing drums – so I drum (I actually bought the drum set for my wife for Christmas, but there’s no doubt I’ve comondered them.) And, yes, sometimes I just lay on the couch and watch a game.

Sunday is some resting time, but I’m also gearing back up for the week ahead. And it’s a day for spending time with the Church (which I also get to do on Thursday nights and other random times).

If I’m intentional about balancing my time on a daily and weekly basis, I know I will enjoy all three aspects – work, family and rest – much more. I’ll share more about my daily balancing tomorrow.

Today’s Good News is God had this all figured out before He even created us, and we can trust that as we live within the rhythms we’ve been designed for, we will find real life. I do know some life situations make this difficult – so once again I will point you towards “community.” Life is not intended to be lived in isolation, so take the time to develop some friendships that can help you balance your life.

You can discover a life of balance, and you’ll be amazed how it makes every aspect of your life more enjoyable – and that’s Good News!
#EverydayGospel
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