CHANGE MY RELATIONSHIPS BY KARLA DOWNING
The scallops had freezer burn. It wasn’t too long ago that I didn’t even buy scallops because they were too expensive for my budget, and here I bought them and didn’t use them. Upon reflection, it became obvious to me that this is a pattern in my life. I frequently put off pleasure and relaxation.Going to the beach is rejuvenating and relaxing for me, yet I talk myself out of going by telling myself that I can go the next day because I can get work done today— but the next day often doesn’t work out either. The bath scrub and salts that I splurged on a year and a half ago remain unopened in my bathroom cupboard because I tell myself I will save them for later.
One of my daughters is the opposite. When she buys something fun, she uses it right away and enjoys it. This used to be the source of arguments between us, as I considered her to be wasteful and wanted her to conserve. I now know that she is different than me, as she enjoys what she buys and doesn’t wait for tomorrow.
We need to find a balance between work and play; serious business and fun; conserving and using; being with people and being alone. I know I put off fun because I prioritize work and my to-do list, but when I take the time to relax, play, and enjoy, I am a better person. All of us tend to be unbalanced in some areas of our lives. Analyze your excesses and extremes and figure out how to bring more balance into your life.
God, Help me find balance in every area of my life.
Relationship Devotional Challenge
Another word for moderation is “self-control.” The New International Version translates it as “gentleness.” All of these suggest temperance and purposeful choice. We don’t let life control us; we control our response to life.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear, and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace” (NIV).
The scallops had freezer burn. It wasn’t too long ago that I didn’t even buy scallops because they were too expensive for my budget, and here I bought them and didn’t use them. Upon reflection, it became obvious to me that this is a pattern in my life. I frequently put off pleasure and relaxation.Going to the beach is rejuvenating and relaxing for me, yet I talk myself out of going by telling myself that I can go the next day because I can get work done today— but the next day often doesn’t work out either. The bath scrub and salts that I splurged on a year and a half ago remain unopened in my bathroom cupboard because I tell myself I will save them for later.
One of my daughters is the opposite. When she buys something fun, she uses it right away and enjoys it. This used to be the source of arguments between us, as I considered her to be wasteful and wanted her to conserve. I now know that she is different than me, as she enjoys what she buys and doesn’t wait for tomorrow.
We need to find a balance between work and play; serious business and fun; conserving and using; being with people and being alone. I know I put off fun because I prioritize work and my to-do list, but when I take the time to relax, play, and enjoy, I am a better person. All of us tend to be unbalanced in some areas of our lives. Analyze your excesses and extremes and figure out how to bring more balance into your life.
God, Help me find balance in every area of my life.
Relationship Devotional Challenge
- Identify one area of your life that is overdone and do less.
- Identify one area of your life that is underdone and do more.
Another word for moderation is “self-control.” The New International Version translates it as “gentleness.” All of these suggest temperance and purposeful choice. We don’t let life control us; we control our response to life.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear, and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace” (NIV).
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