March Week 4 - Cultivating A Lifestyle Of Balance - Live Your LIfe!!!

One thing my pastor often says is "Enjoy life, this is not a dress rehearsal." This statement often plays in my mind as I find myself moving from day to day and from task to task so quickly that by the end of the week my free time is generally spent in a state of rest in order to regain enough energy to begin the cycle all over again. Sometimes we remain in "dress rehearsal" mode instead of allowing ourselves to enjoy the fruits of our labor. It is important that we take the time to ask some serious questions and consider whether some of our daily tasks need to be trimmed. Are the degrees, careers, and lifestyles we're working so hard to achieve and maintain truly what we have been called to accomplish, or are we simply trying to compete with others, maintain an image that is not who our hearts truly desire to represent, or fulfilling the expectations assigned to us by others? How would we live our lives if we lived freely according to God's purpose without having concern for the scruntiny of those around us? How much more enjoyable would our lives be if we made more time to enjoy life versus living as if our worlds would collapse if we stepped away for even a moment to exhale?

Living a life of purpose has proven to be a process of examining and re-examining the decisions, goals, and routines that are manifested within my life and seeking God for assurance and guidance that they line up with his plan. Doing so often leads to the exclusion of doing those things that are not only purposeful but are also enjoyable. Lucky for me, for the most part my path of purpose has been quite enjoyable while allowing me to fulfill the vision God has given me all at the same time. There are days; however, when it's nice to just live without having a constant mental task list to follow, or to just enjoy doing some things that may not necessarily have anything to do with my purpose but just make life more enjoyable. This spring I'm looking forward to planting a flower garden, doing some decorating, frequenting some spoken-word venues, visiting some amusement parks, catching a few plays, learning some new recipes, doing more traveling, and spending more quality time with family and friends, and maybe even trying something new like white water rafting. These are just a few pleasures that bring me so much joy, but in the midst of living my life on purpose and with purpose I seldom make time to indulge in the things that I enjoy doing the most.

One of the most important lessons that I've learned this year is that I am on a lifelong journey, and just like a theater production the show will continue after the intermission. This week I encourage you to incorporate your own personal intermission and treat yourself to at least one thing that brings you joy.