Finding balance...........

What a beautiful day it was today!  It was actually almost 60 degrees and sunny - a perfect taste of springtime.  So while I was watching Lia, Ellie, Zeke and Anna we spent a lot of time outside!  Zeke is only 4, and he has mastered that all-important skill......riding a two wheel bike!  WITHOUT TRAINING WHEELS!  He has found the balance necessary to pilot that bike down the sidewalk.  He is quite proud of this accomplishment and practiced most of the afternoon.  Anna was trying to ride anything that she could find.  I am sure that she will be trying out a two wheel bike sometime soon after watching her at Ellie's birthday party on Saturday!  Yes, Ellie's birthday was actually yesterday but her party was on Saturday.

This is seven year old Ellie, also finding a balance point, at the playground this morning!  She had a "gymnastics" birthday party at a local gym.  They have a large "bounce house" area and then also provide some obstacle courses and other gymnastic activities.  Most of the kids were considerably older than Anna.  But that little two year old participated in every event!  As I said, I am sure before we know it Anna will be taking off on a two wheel bike!

Back to balance...........it is not always easy to find that perfect balance point.   Just like Zeke, sometimes it takes lots of practice.  Lately I have had much more "free time" since I don't have any "employment" right now.  I am still watching Gwen's kids one day a week and also have my small group meeting.  But what I have found is that it is really easy to NOT accomplish very much when you have lots of extra time.  Let's face it, when you are busy you HAVE to be very careful about using ALL of your time wisely.
.................................... to be continued.....................(I just couldn't seem to finish this blog)

Today Gwen and I were talking about a much busier time in my life.... I was working full time and had Gwen and Doug with school and other activities and then there was church and those activities.. well you get the idea.  Gwen was lamenting the never ending laundry that she experiences in her house of 6 people. I reminded her of a time when our laundry usually did not make it to our drawers/closets but went from the washer to the dryer to the dining room table.  From there it went back onto somebody!  And that cycle continued for a very long time!  Like several years (until I actually started working part time when Gwen was in 3rd grade).  I remember feeling very overwhelmed and like I never was on top of anything.  I don't think I was doing anything well.  I was just getting by in most areas of my life.

As I was doing my Bible reading today, and thinking about this (unfinished) blog that I started last night, I realized that the biggest BALANCE is really the seasons of our life.  We have the carefree days of childhood/young adulthood that balance the very busy times of raising young children.  Then we have a bit of an easier time as our children become more independent as preteens and teens and even young adults.  Then we transition into that empty nest/sandwich generation when we find ourselves stressed with issues dealing with our aging parents.  There is a bit of a balance in that.  And now as we approach retirement age, the balance of this age is much more time.  I have felt much more relaxed and less stressed in the last month.  I have done some very "grandmotherly" type things - cross stitching - for the first time in a long time!  I have also spent much more time in worship and listening to teachings (thanks to Periscope- if you don't know this newer application, it is worth looking into!) I have spent some extra time with Gwen and the kids.  And I have done some clearing out and organizing (thanks Lenten Challenge!)  This led me to thinking about being content and this verse.....
I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.....I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.  Philippians 4:12b-13  

Truthfully I have not been very good about this contentment stuff.  It has not been easy or very evident in my life.  Today I was thinking about the connection between balance and contentment.  For me, if I had known about the shifting seasons and the balance this brought to my life, I think I would have had an easier time being content!  That and knowing that Jesus is the only one who has the strength to bring us into that place of being content - NO MATTER WHAT SEASON WE ARE IN!  Anyone who has been reading this blog for awhile or who knows me, will understand that the last couple of years have been a tough season of loss and grief.  But in that season there was a balance of joy and hope that allowed my family to move forward.  Yes, it is good to see and understand what a gift balance is in all things!  So I will be celebrating this season of my life that has brought me a gift of time, along with a new perspective.  

Jesus, thank you letting me chew on this blog post about balance.  Thank you for the revelation of the seasons of our life that help us balance our way into contentment.  Holy Spirit, help us to remember in every season that there is another season on the horizon that will help us balance and walk through whatever is happening today.  Thank you Jesus for being our strength.  Amen