Tag Archive for: balance

One Stone at a Time

While we were up in the Sma Glen this week with Carter and Izaak, we got into a bit of rock balancing and stone skimming – it was great fun!
Thinking about it, there’s something about both of those activities that has stuck with me.
Balancing the rocks took me a wee bit of time, and I failed on several occasions.
To get it right, I had to slow down, feel the weight of each stone, and figure out how each one would fit together without forcing it into place.
Essentially, I had to be really still and feel my way, little by little to balance the rocks, one stone at a time. ⚖️
It reminded me how Jesus Christ works the same way with us, one by one.
It’s been my life experience that He rarely fixes things instantly.
Rather, with His help, we need to be patient, listen and take time to feel where things belong.
I know He helps us to find balance, even when things feel unstable.
That’s what Helaman 5:12 is about:
“…it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation…”
When Christ is our foundation and when we lean on Him, I know we can always find balance, especially when life feels unsteady.
With the stone skimming, each of us enjoyed searching for the perfect flat stones.
With the water being so low, there were literally hundreds of great stones to be found.
The tough part was trying to get a good series of skips across the water.
Both Carter and Izaak made some valiant attempts, my own were a little less impressive.
That made me think a little…🧐
Metaphorically speaking, sometimes we’re like those smooth stones.
It reminded me of how the Lord shapes us and sends us.
We might feel small or ordinary, but in His hands, we can move with purpose, accomplish amazing things and touch many lives.
Even when we hit the rough patches, He helps us stay in motion.
Some moments in life are about finding balance. Others are about being sent.
Either way, the Lord knows exactly what He’s doing with us.
So maybe the question for us to consider is this… Right now, is the Lord asking me to slow down and find balance, or to trust Him and move forward?

Frazzled and Frayed?

Lately, I’ve heard the phrase “spreading myself too thin” over and over.

It seems to be something that many of us struggle with from time to time.

We simply take on too much, pushing ourselves beyond our own capacity and then eventually start to feel overwhelmed.

Academic pressures, job changes, work life imbalance, self-doubts, digital overload, trying to please everyone, multiple roles, workloads, endless to do-lists….and so forth!

Have you found yourself in that space recently, with lots to do and juggling lots of different responsibilities?

I know I have a little.

Sometimes the weight of “too much” can simply become too burdensome.

My experience is that in order to catch up, we need to slow down.

The scriptures offer some wisdom on this very issue.

In Mosiah 4:27, we are reminded: “See that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength.”

It’s easy to believe that saying yes to everything is a virtue, but I’ve learned that wisdom teaches otherwise.

Even the Lord’s counsel acknowledges our limitations.

Overexertion can lead to exhaustion rather than effectiveness.

I love the promise in Isaiah 40:31, which gives us a greater perspective: “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

For me, the key is finding a way to get the balance right.

Essentially its about knowing when to run and push forward and when to walk and regain strength.

Wisdom lies in our ability to discern what truly needs our time and energy.

Are we aligning our efforts with the Lord’s priorities for our lives?

My invitation today is to reflect a little longer and consider this question:

Are you running faster than you have strength?

If so, perhaps it’s time to slow down, reassess, and let the Lord renew your energy in His way and in His time.

 

Extremes

For those old enough, you will remember the summer of 1976, it was an absolute scorcher. Record high temperatures and a long period of drought. 😎
All year long our family wouldn’t travel far at all. But with dad being a train driver and free tickets, most summers we went as far away as possible. 1976 was one of those long train journey’s, all the way down to Cornwall and basically, that’s as far as you can go. Holidays together were a priority.
With the record temperatures and glorious sunshine, I have lots of fond memories of being on the beach that summer. I remember getting up to a lot of mischief, but most of all my feet being scorched on the hot sand! 😕
Only a few weeks later in typical UK fashion, the heaven’s opened and the country was hit by massive storms and floods which dominated the remainder of the year. It seemed as if mother nature was re-balancing.
𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬 – Life seems full of them.
Dry/Wet
Hot/Cold
Black/White
Feast/Famine
Doubt/Certainty
Freedom/Subjection
Happiness/Sadness
Like the hot dry summer, then wet autumn of 76, in life we must often chart a course between the two of them.
Finding a balance in life is a matter of setting the right priorities and establishing goals to provide direction.
How do you maintain balance in your life?

Balance

In recent coaching conversations, the topic of “balance” has arisen several times.

There are three areas in life – self, family and work – the key relationships – that need daily attention if balance is to be obtained.

Decide and commit to adopt the goal of balancing self with family and with work. Commit yourself to make yourself do the hard work, including the daily mental effort that is required to bring about this balance. We need to change our thoughts and what we think about, to change our world.

For example, there are three effective times for me every day to consider balance ….

– Early morning as I get out of bed – that first hour allows me to reflect, focus and plan the day ahead.

– Late afternoon or early evening when I return from work and the labour of my day.

– Late evening or when preparing to go to bed.

My top tip – Reserve a small segment of those times every day to consider the important matter of balance. Little things, will prove to be big things. Go on, give it a go!