Balancing Act

This post written some time last month over at Small Notebook got me seriously thinking about the concept of a balanced life. Being the intense girl that I am, one of the first things that I do when I start contemplating something is simply look it up in the dictionary. Here are a few of the facets of “balance” that stood out to me;

2. A state of equilibrium or parity characterized by cancellation of all forces by equal opposing forces.

5. A stable mental or psychological state; emotional stability.

6. A harmonious or satisfying arrangement or proportion of parts or elements, as in a design.

9. Equality of totals in the debit and credit sides of an account.

Hmmmm…. good stuff. I like the words equality, stability, proportion, equilibrium. I like them alot.

Here are some great thoughts on balance.

People with great gifts are easy to find, but symmetrical and balanced ones never. Ralph Waldo Emmerson

Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony. Thomas Merton

Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some. Robert Fulghum

We need to maintain a proper balance in our life by allocating the time we have. There are occasions where saying no is the best time management practice there is. Catherine Pulsifer

What I dream of is an art of balance. Henri Matisse

Balance is beautiful. Miyoko Ohno

I’m really being enriched by this train of thought. I’m looking at my life with fresh eyes, realizing anew that I was uniquely designed with God given purpose in mind. I’ve also come to the realization that if I am going to live a balanced life I need to focus. I need to have clear goals in mind and exercise discipline in order to achieve them.

I came up with my own personal Balancing Act;

Spiritual, my relationship with God. This includes the elements of reading (the Word), praying, worshiping and listening to the preached Word.

Ministry, my role in kingdom building, right now this centers on discipling my kids which includes, homeschooling, family devotions, bedtime prayers, memory work, etc.

Work, home management. Big job as this includes the daily chores of not just housecleaning, cooking and laundry but also of running the farm, caring for the yard and gardening. No, my husband is not kicking back while I do all the work. He’s working and renovating this old house and doing all the “big jobs”.

Marriage and Family, relationally investing and connecting with my husband and children on an individual basis. Cuddling, playing, intentionally and meaningfully conversing.

Mission, investing in the lives of others, both churched and un-churched. Right now in this stage of life this is mostly done through hospitality and involves either providing childcare, making a meal, having people over for coffee and conversation, writing an encouragement card, praying for someone, or welcoming families into our home and into our lives.

Me, Taking care of this temple He’s gifted me with. This one has a pretty hefty sub-list that includes things relating to my mental, emotional and physical health. It includes things as unrelated as getting enough water, exercise, spending time alone with friends, reading, blogging, taking my vitamins… you get the idea.

It’s impossible to contemplate balance without recognizing two other factors that are intrinsically coupled with a balanced lifestyle. Time management and discipline. I’ll share more thoughts on where those ponderings have led me soon!