Which Way Are You Walking?

What is more important? Job, Church, Husband, Grandkids, Kids, Parents. The list is endless. When the lines between any of these areas get blurry, the choice gets harder. When am I a volunteer? When am I a pastor’s wife? When am I a mom or grandma? Why do I do the things I do? Why do you do the things you do?
 
When is the last time you took time out of your busy schedule to prioritize your life?
Over the past two weeks, I have made a choice to put family first. In doing so, I didn’t neglect my job, but I did have to let go of the false guilt and tendency to be overly conscientious. My work ethic and commitment can somtimes hinder me from engaging in sweet and special moments with friends and family. Knowing which way to turn, how to balance all the demands of life and dividing up your much sought after time is not an easy balancing act - even on a good day!
 

By God's grace, I said ‘yes’ to a half-day field trip with one of my four-year old grandsons. After a hayride, pig races and pumpkin picking we experienced the highlight of our pumpkin farm adventure in our very last activity. We draped a burlap bag onto a large underground slide. Ever so carefully, I aligned my hind quarter on that slippery sack and snuggled my grandson up against me. Yelling “hang on," I let go, and we flew through the tube and came out at the bottom of the hill in what seemed like record time. The smile that spread across my grandson's face at that moment made any lingering doubt about my morning's choice simply fade away.

Another choice I cautiously said 'yes' to was in accompanying my husband on a business trip. Why in the world I would ever feeling guilty about leaving home to travel with him is really hard to comprehend. But, my “gotta do my best” mindset sometimes causes me to second guess myself. Why have a job that you can do off-sight and on the road if you don’t take advantage of that mobility? While traveling down the highway typing on my laptop, proofreading documents or finalizing the calendar for the year might not be the most ideal work setting, it works! And, at the end of the day, I was able to spend a much needed day with my husband, enjoyed some beautiful fall colors and kept up with my obligations at home. Seems silly to have even considered not joining him. What was I thinking?

 

The final choice was to say ‘yes’ to babysitting my newest grandson and his big brother for a few hours one evening. The work schedule was tight, and there was a major event being held at our church in just a couple of days – one that I was in charge of. Yikes! But, the event team had been working and planning for months now. Everyone had been carrying their share of the load. The ‘to do’ list had been made, and the weekend promised to be jammed packed with activity! I could have easily let the pressures of the day fall in around me and stayed back in the office to continue pressing through. But oh, would I have missed some precious moments. After all, babies are only babies one time around! Why did I ever even consider staying home?

A sense of responsibility is great. Commitment to your church family and work obligations are necessary and Biblical. However, wisdom is needed to help each of us take time to hit ‘pause’ and really consider what is the best choice for each day. There are situations where we must say ‘no’ to our husband, kids and grandkids. There are even times when we have to say ‘no’ to our bosses, friends and extended family. But, seeking God’s best in our lives includes taking time to say ‘yes’ to those extra special moments while still fulfilling our commitments to others.

 

You have permission to enjoy life!

 

Ministry is a lifestyle, but it doesn’t have to crowd out the special moments of living that we treasure as some of life's finest moments. So, how have you been doing with your choices lately? Who are you giving priority to? Are you taking time to worship your Savior, love your husband, hug your kids, talk to your parents, connect with your siblings or play with your grandkids? If not, take time now to ask God to show you how you can be faithful to what you have committed yourself to (ministry, work) while also making the choice to ‘enjoy’ the blessings in life God has given you.

Isaiah 30:21 is a great verse that reminds me to listen to that still small voice that whispers through all the noise that can crowd out what really matters. It says “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’

Relationships are priceless, and yet we so easily take them for granted. Who can you spend time with this week and show them how much you care?