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BALANCE: My one word

January 19, 2012 — Leave a comment

Courtesy of Wordle.net

So, we’re well into the new year, and I’m still trying to refine my personal goals. First though, I must make a true confession:

I am not Superman. I am human.

Sure, you’re probably not overly surprised by that. However, at some level I’ve been acting for far too long like I am somehow Superman. Although I’m a minister and understand all too well the dangers of compassion fatigue, I have allowed my life to become completely and totally unbalanced. How do I know?

MY PROBLEM

I work an ungodly number of hours each week, often ‘forgetting’ to grab lunch and frequently staying up until 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. to work on a project. Sometimes I don’t make it to bed at all.

I don’t spend sufficient time with my family — totally focused and engaged with them. Sure, we’re often in the same room, but the ‘electronic leash’ called the iPhone manages to occupy my time and compete for my attention. And I frequently find myself browsing the internet on my phone while browsing a separate page on my laptop. That’s insane.

I don’t take good physical care of myself. We’ve already determined that I don’t always eat meals as I should. What I do eat is usually not that great for me nutrition-wise. We’ve also determined that I don’t get adequate sleep and rest. And I can’t overstate how much of a toll that takes on me in a multitude of ways. It’s no wonder that I’ve developed a number of health issues over the past several years. Fortunately, there’s nothing real serious going on that I’m aware of, but the stress of life exacerbates every little problem. My doctors have warned me that I must slow down and take care of myself.

MY SOLUTION

All of this is just to say that rather than listing a whole lot of resolutions that I’ll probably just end up breaking after a short while, like many people, I’ve decided to focus on just one word for this year. That word is BALANCE.

Now I’m sure that sounds all well and good. I’m sure you’re all for me making some changes. However, this perfectionist is going to have to accept some stark realities. So are those who associate regularly with me.

MY ACTION STEPS

In order to achieve my goal of leading a much more balanced lifestyle, I am going to have to make some choices that — for me — are pretty big ones:

      • I will disable the audible e-mail alert on my phone.
    • I will not bring my phone to the dinner table. It cannot be welcome there.
    • I will not always get work done with the speed and level of detail to which I and those around me have become accustomed. We’re all just going to have to deal with that disappointment.
    • I will make a concerted effort to get proper nutrition, exercise, and rest.
    • I will delegate some responsibilities to others who are perfectly capable of doing the work.
    • I will take time to slow down and spend quality time with my wife and kids. (It’s a well-known fact that ministers often have some of the most dysfunctional children. May that not be my legacy as a father.)
    • I will learn to tell people ‘No’ — especially when their need simply evidences poor planning or lack of forethought. Not everything is my problem.

MY EXAMPLE

I am committed to doing whatever it takes to restore balance and health to my life. After all, how can I effectively counsel others to live balanced lives if I’m not modeling that kind of lifestyle? This is not about will-power; it’s about making good choices — one after the other — with God’s help.

BALANCE. It is absolutely non-negotiable for me. I must never let myself get to this point again. Ever.

IT’S YOUR TURN!
What word do you need to focus on during this calendar year?

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Did you like this post? If so, you might also be interested in these previous posts:

• A life without regrets?

• Some help with resolutions

• 10 secrets to keeping those resolutions

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“Do your best!”

December 18, 2009 — 2 Comments

As a kid growing up in Mississippi, I have many memories of my parents giving me a hug on the way out the door for school. On test days I would always hear the words, “Do your best” as I scurried off.

In that context, “Do your best” had certain connotations. And those words really covered more than just test days. “Do your best” meant:

  • Pay attention in class
  • Do your homework thoroughly
  • Take your time and don’t make careless mistakes
  • Ask questions for clarification

I guess that in spite of short-comings that all parents have, mine did a pretty good job of instilling that principle. While I deeply appreciate that fact, it sure makes it difficult to be tolerant of those who don’t do their best work.

Take customer service, for example. When I worked in retail sales, the reigning mentality was “the customer is always right.” I would submit to you there are very few businesses who operate by that principle today. Now, granted, we know that the customer is not always right. But I think the main point of that mantra is that as a business person, it is important to always treat even the most difficult customer with a measure of dignity and respect. Through the years I’ve come to think of it differently — more along the lines of “I’d rather be paid than be right.”

It pains me to see that today’s fast-paced productivity-minded culture encourages quantity over quality. So many people simply do not seem to care to do their best.

In ministry, doing our best means many things. It means taking the time to listen; following through on what you say you’ll do; being intentional about changes and transitions; hurting with people in need; being diligent in preparation, no matter how large or small the crowd may be. The church is a place where good principles of ’customer service’ can be readily applied. I still think of myself as a salesman of sorts. Of course, the main difference is that I have the most important thing to offer — and I’m giving it away!

Because I represent Jesus Christ, it is essential that I do my best. That means lots of attention to not just the big picture but also to the details — those little things that are extremely time-consuming but that make all the difference in the world.

Colossians 3:23 says this:

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

As you go through your routine today, I hope you will give life your best — every aspect of it. Give your family your best. Give your employer your best. Give your friends your best.

I’m frequently reminded that God gave His best for us; we owe Him nothing less.

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