Life is a Balancing Act

Back to school for a couple of weeks now, most parents have their rhythm back while balancing all the activities of life. I’m back at it, too, picking up my youngest. I love it! Oh, the joy of hearing about his day. But I remember those days as a mom and having to juggle so many activities. Sometimes it was overwhelming.

I ran into these photos on my timeline and realized how much I hold them dear to my heart. It was fourteen years ago and one of those times when my husband and I were visiting our son and family in Seattle. We made the most of every minute that we were there. Imagination ran rampant and Papa and Nana joined in with vigor and vitality. I remember in my youth that teeter-totters were not my friend.

I remember when my see-saw partner decided to bale on me, and I came crashing down on my bottom. I made sure I had reliable partners after that! I also remember, by myself, standing on the pivotal point of that seesaw, trying to keep it in a horizontal position that required a lot of focus and balance.

In these photos you’ll see we are making sure that balance is a big part of the boys’ experience. I assure you, in my life, I’ve had to use that exercise in way more scenarios than just a teeter-totter. I also know that my attention and focus is keeping God in view while maintaining solid footing and balance. When I plant my heart and feet on the truth of God’s Word and in Him who is my stabilizer, the winds, the waves, the shifting sand AND even the teeter totters will not cause me to crumble or stumble.

We Christians are called to a balanced life. How can it be balanced when we have so many balls to juggle at the same time? Like those times of being an interested and active spouse while juggling all the activities of parenting. And parenting requires so many balancing acts – school, sports, homework, and extracurricular activities.

Then the balancing act continues of giving loving support to older parents while being a volunteer at a local organization or church and all the while desiring to maintain a faithful and devoted prayer life. Oh, and then there is our devotion to a balanced healthy body and mind. No question, life is a continuous balancing act that can be overwhelming at times.

But God didn’t ask us to be super parents or super grandparents, the super employee, or the super child. He asked us to be “steadfast” in our faith, and to maintain our confidence in Him. He started this good work in us, and He is faithful to complete it. “For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.” (Hebrews 3:14)

Remember Peter trying to balance his act when Jesus called Him to walk on water? He was audacious enough to get out of the boat and started walking on the water. But he took His eyes off Jesus and that’s when He only saw the waves and the storm.

The balance act in life starts with our surrender to He Who balances our lives as we surrender, yield, and keep our eyes on our Lord. When we teeter totter with Him, He always brings balance to everything and everyone else in our lives.

Matthew 6:33 “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”