Some weekends you just need some downtime. As a busy dad of 4 kids, There is always something that needs to be done. One kid needs to celebrate and one kid needs some extra time and ice cream. The house needs some work and the car needs some repair. Finding the right balance between work and fun can be difficult.
I like to work. I am not a workaholic, but I do enjoy accomplishing tasks and seeing progress and things get completed. I also like to play. My challenge is, as I have gotten older and have more responsibilities, it is sometimes hard to stop and enjoy life when I have a long list of things that need to be done and I simply have not had the time to do them. I will always have projects to do. There will always be something that needs to be fixed.
I hear the term “work-life balance” a lot lately. I’m not sure I comprehend that concept. There is no balance in life, but there is a season for everything. Sometimes those seasons only last a day or two. Sometimes they last a week or a month or more. There is a time for joy, a time for crying. A time to mourn and a time to laugh. A time to work and a time to play (Ecclesiastes 3: 1-14). Everything has a time and a place.
My dad once said to me, “Be where you are.” At the time, it did not make much sense to me. How can I possibly be anywhere else? Now that I am the dad, I sometimes tell my kids to “be where you are.” It is easy to physically be in one place and my mind is somewhere else. When I am at the beach with my family or playing games with my kids, I should mentally be there, as well, and not thinking about all of the other things that need to be done. Wherever I am, I need to be fully there. I am in the season of family today, not the season of work. Tomorrow will begin another short season of work that will be followed by another season. There is a time for everything. We just need to make sure we do not get stuck in a season. Downtime and playtime is nice, but there is work that needs to be done. It feels great to work hard and accomplish goals, but my family needs my attention and I need rest. There is a season for everything.
I am enjoying a season of building a stronger foundation for my life. The first month was good, but as the habits have begun to develop, it is time for a season of some hard work for me. I am looking forward to seeing what God will accomplish through me over the next few weeks, and I am looking forward to the next season.
What season are you in?
He has made everything beautiful in its time.
Ecclesiastes 3: 11
