Finding Balance

I'm beginning to think finding balance in life is like getting in the car when I see a rainbow and driving every direction it shines to find the pot of gold. It's chasing Nessie in the Scottish Highlands. The quest for achieving balance has made billions for self help guru's, conventions, mental health practitioners, exercise clubs, preschools, resorts everywhere, churches, bars, organic farmers, online colleges, non-profits (including mine), and the list goes on and on and on....Finding balance in life has now become the politically correct way of saying, "NO" or "YES". Pull the balance card on a friend asking if you can come over to talk and she understands. Volunteers are needed at the shelter...Don't want to say that you have plans watching your favorite show...balance card works. Moms that are stressed are joining the gym, put the kids in daycare...why? Balance. Even church is now included...Yep, pretty sure if I attend church on Sunday it brings balance to all the other days I was kind of an ass, everyone is seeking balance. If I give $50 to this org, take yoga one day a week, have "me" time a few times a month with friends, read to the kids at least 3x a week, church on Sunday, scale work down to only 40 hours a week, eat in 5 days a week, read at least 15 min 4 times a week, go on a date night once a month, read my bible at least 30 min a day,buy organic milk, volunteer 2x a month at the shelter.....then maybe I am balanced. I will feel good about myself. I will be able to justify every other decision I make outside of what is scheduled. It will be okay to say, "NO" when I'm asked for more....I will also say, "YES" out of guilt because I didn't meet the "balance" quota.

I am NOT saying that any of the above is wrong. Finding "balance" is NOT a bad thing. My issue with the great quest for achieving "balance" in life is... it is NOT based on what I truly love. It is a concept made by people.

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; ..."

Finding balance is trying to control our moments.

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

When you seek balance in your life you are limiting your life to the box you define. When you are truly seeking HIM and following HIM your life will NOT be balanced. Your life will be a big beautiful mess.

Live life boldly. Live life messy. Dare to live an unbalanced life

*Some weeks I want nothing more than to trade my kids in for a quiet sandy beach ALONE.
*Some days I want nothing more than a new outfit and manicure.
*Some days I want a go large McDonald fries.
*Some days I sell half the clothes I own because I know it will help someone
*Some days I hide behind my computer working 18 hours a day and barely say, "Hi" to my kids.
*Some days I unplug everything and build forts, do puzzles, howl at the moon with my 6 babies.
*Some days I want to quit
*Some days I do quit
*I don't want to get out of bed half the time
*Some weeks I won't shower for days
*Some days my kids only eat organic, no sugar. Everything made from scratch
*Some days we eat cereal for dinner

Everyday is either a struggle or a victory...sometimes both throughout the day.

It's a gift, you know...Today is a gift. Don't waste it trying to achieve balance. JUST EMBRACE IT