Finding Balance in Life

"Perfect"

I always get laughed at when someones asks me for my opinion on something or how I like a particular thing because my answer is usually..."perfect". I would like it perfect please. I would like my steak done perfectly. I would like you to behave perfectly, I would love my house to be cleaned perfectly. Now if you read the recent post about "Are You a Perfectionist?" you might think this is going against everything I previously said.
But,
When a steak gets cooked I think it shouldn't be burnt and it also shouldn't be moo'ing at me so it's in between - perfect. If I were asked how I wanted my class of 2 and 3 year olds to act on Wednesday evenings at church I would say: Not too rowdy, but not day dreaming either - perfect. And I certainly wouldn't want to over obsess about having my house sparkling clean all the time and I also wouldn't want to live in a cluttered trash heap. So therefore I would like my house to be - perfect.

The Perfect Balance

Okay so if you haven't figured it out, I'm using perfect in place of balance. All things in life should have a balance. Things that have found that balance are nearly perfect. (but again perfection only comes with Christ.) But finding balance is hard. It's pretty much what we spend our whole lives trying to accomplish. Every decision we make is our minds trying to create balance in our lives. You get invited to a party and you need to RSVP. You stand in your kitchen looking at the invitation checking the calendar and deciding if it will fit into the schedule. You are trying to find a balance of doing too much and needing time to stay home. You are trying to find balance spending time with your "mom" group and your family. Do I wash the dishes now or in the morning? Would I tip the scale too far if I did house work for 5 more minutes or should I just go to bed and rest?

Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World

I've just finished reading "Having A Mary Heart In A Martha World" by Joanna Weaver. It was a great read and I highly recommend the book. In chapter 11 she gives us a "Balance Checklist" that I found superbly helpful. Read through these two lists and analyze wether you are leaning too far to the  one side or the other. Are you a burnt steak? Or maybe you are still Moo'ing?

Signs that you may need more time in the kitchen (Saying Yes More):

1) slight depression - you feel a vague unhappiness, a sense of being down. 

2) Resentment of intrusion - Rather than welcoming people into your life, you find yourself wishing they'd go away.

3) Frustartion over direction of life - you feel a sense of purposelessness and sometimes wonder, "Is this all there is?"

4) increased self-indulgence - you feel an itch to treat yourself with favorite foods or shopping.

5) Apathetic attitude - you find that very little moves you. You know your compassion level is low, but part of you just doesn't care.

6) Low energy level - like the Dead Sea, you may have many inlets, but no outlet - and therefore you're growing stagnant. 

Signs that you may need more time in the Living Room (Saying No More):

1) Irritability and frustrtion - your find yourself snapping at people, wound so tight you're about to "snap" yourself, and especially short-tempered with those you perceive as lazy or uncooperative. 

2) Uncomfortable with quiet - silence makes you nervous, so you're quick to turn on the TV or radio.

3) Low joy threshold - it's been a long time since you've sensed that under-current of joy and abundance running through your heart.

4) a sense of isolation - you feel all alone - as if no one is there for you and no one understands.

5) increased drivenness - you're haunted by a sense that you must do more and more. you keep volunterring for more projects and more committees, even though you know your plate is full.

6) Sense of dryness and emptiness. - no wonder! your have many outlets and demands, bu no inlets or source of strength. 

You Are Not Alone

If you read both lists and saw too many likeness to your life in both, don't panic! Remember that if you have felt it, said it, or thought it, so has someone before you. I find many things of off both lists pertaining to me. I need to give of myself more to others, but I also need to give more time to God as well. Finding a balance in life is not easy. Again, it's like finding perfection and perfection only comes with God when He calls us home to glory. The Best way to find balance in the many things of life is to stay faithful reading and studying God's Word and seeking his council daily. The most common reason to not be faithful to God is because "We don't have time". But I disagree - If you don't have time for God, you don't have time for life. 

Sarah