It’s Friday night and I’m still reeling from a whirlwind week. In rushing from one event to the next, I’ve had little time to relax or catch my breath. This week it’s become glaringly apparent that I need to scale back. Some appointments are unavoidable, like going to the doctor’s. Others are non-negotiable, like church. But there are a great deal of activities that I need to set aside. In fact, there are some things I just need to stop. The entire month of September has been a constant blur. There is only one day on my calendar that was not full. I imagine I just didn't have time to write down my schedule that day. But I can't keep up this pace. I need times of quiet reflection, to recreate and renew my spirit. I can’t let a ½ hour of rushed devotional time count as my relaxation for the day. It isn’t selfish for me to take time to renew and refresh my spirit. When I come back from my time off, I am a better mom, wife, gramma and caregiver – I’m renewed.
We talked about this at ladies prayer group on Wednesday night. We women have become quite adapt at “doing it all.” The enemy will lie to us and tells us we can “have it all.” But reality says we can’t. Even when we think we’re juggling it all well, we end up neglecting someone very important - ourselves.
It’s time for some tough, soul searching questions. Are there things you just need to stop? Take a piece of paper and fold it in half. On the left side of the paper write down all the things you love, things that relax, energize and empower you. Now on the right side write down all your activities and responsibilities. Does the list seem a little lop-sided? Take the next week and pray about what you are doing. Prioritize your list and ask God if there are activities or responsibilities you need to stop doing. You may choose to talk it over with a spouse or close friend. Once you’ve eliminated some items from the right hand side of the list, you’ll have more time for activities on the left. You’ll be amazed at what happens when you just stop it!
