Psssst…hey! Hellooo, I’m talking to you. Yes, you. My message today is all about you and what you’re struggling with today. Actually, many of us are struggling with this issue. We exclaim that There aren’t enough hours in the day! I just don’t have time for that! Well, there are 24 hours in each day, and that’s plenty, but somehow we always seem to run out of our most precious commodity — time. Perhaps we ‘re just not good time managers. Maybe our priorities are out of order. Maybe we’re guilty of both.
Wherever you are on the time continuum, know that it’s ever-changing, and only you can make the changes necessary to achieve some sort of balance in your life. This past week I learned a new word. As an avid reader and writer, I love discovering “new” words and finding ways to incorporate them into my writing. Well, this word isn’t new — nor is it new to me, but its use is different. The word is margin.
When I see that word, I think of the white space around a typed sheet of paper or around the pages of a book. The words are kept neatly between the margins that have been pre-established. The author/typist has the ability to extend those margins or leave them at their pre-set limits.
Without margins or boundaries in our lives, we run the risk of merging different aspects of our lives that are designed to be separate. Without margins in our work lives, we often times extend into our play time (or whatever you call the time you spend alone or doing what gives you pleasure). When there are no margins in our play time, we run the risk of stealing time from worship or spiritual feeding time. When there are no margins in our spiritual lives, we say yes to things that we ought to say no to. It’s a tricky balance that we all struggle to maintain. So, when I called you out in the first line of this post, I was calling myself out too. This is a judgment-free zone; my heart just aims to reveal our connectedness and to encourage you to continue working to be the best you possible.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
As you can see, there’s plenty of time. Learning to manage it by creating margins is key to achieving balance. May blessings abound! <3
Margins and boundaries are so important and lines much be drawn. If not, we do not know what we violate or when we do. God’s word is absolute and clearly defined. Then, He leaves it up to us to choose life or destruction. Thanks for reminding us of our lines which are not blurred.
You make me see things in a different perspective like seeing seasons not just created for a certain purpose but to create balance in our lives. I am aiming for harmony and balance in my life though sometimes somethings tend to eat into the time of another.
Thanks for stopping by, Sis. Achieving balance must always be our goal. Imbalance leads to stress. Wishing you a balanced, harmonious life. <3
“When there are no margins in our spiritual lives, we say yes to things that we ought to say no to.” And that is most often where we lose the time that we are regretful for.
So true, Oneta. Oft times, we know better, but when no one is looking (or so we think), we find ourselves blurring the lines. I hope you are well today. 🙂
Doing well, yes. Thank you, dear.
I really love this one. Its so true. I’m continually working on making sure I’m using my time productively no matter what component of my life it pertains to. Not only have I tried to use my time well but also not to rush it away.
You’re a smart, young man, Charles. Even as you aspire to go higher (and deeper), please remember these margins and seek balance. <3
Thanks Michelle, I love this. Makes me more aware of how to manage my time, and priorities.
No time to waste .
Have a blessed day.
Good morning, Ms. Beatrice. Nothing is wasted with our Lord. Sometimes events in our lives seem like a waste of time, but he somehow uses those moments as well to make us who we are destined to become.
I’m taking this post as my Sunday sermon for today. I’m sure our pastor had a marvelous sermon; he always does. I usually think of something in the car on the way home that I thought was special. I couldn’t think of a thing today, and I realized I had not really listened. I intended to and thought I had. No, nothing to take home. I shall think of a marginalized life, I mean life with margins. Thanks for a good one, Michelle.
So glad you were able to glean something from this post, Anne. I missed service last week, but I’m up very early today and might even make it to the early service. Have a great day! 😀
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