We walked away with a ton of ideas and all kinds of resources. One handout we were given was on finding margin in our lives. Or, in other words, finding breathing room. I know for me this has been a big area of focus the last few months. And, since everyone I know seems to be just as busy as we are, if not more, I thought I would share some of it here with you.
I'd like to start out today by sharing a statement on finding margin. This really made me stop and think. It was written by Dr. Richard Swenson, MD:
"The conditions of modern day living devour margin. If you're homeless we direct you to a shelter. If you're penniless we offer you food stamps. If you're breathless we connect you to oxygen. But if you're marginless we give you one more thing to do. Marginless is being 30 minutes late to the doctor's office because you were 20 minutes late getting out of the hairdresser because you were 10 minutes late dropping the children off at school because the car ran out of gas two blocks from a gas station and you forgot your purse. That's marginless.
"Margin, on the other hand, is having breath at the top of the staircase, money at the end of the month, and sanity left over at the end of adolescence. Margin is grandma taking the baby for the afternoon. Margin is having a friend help carry the burden.
"Marginless is not having time to finish the book you're reading on stress. Margin is having the time to read it twice. Marginless is our culture. Margin is counter-culture, having some space in your life and schedule. Marginless is the disease of our decade and margin is the cure."
I've got a few other good things to share that I got from this last meeting. I'll take the next couple of Tuesdays to post of them. Hope they are as helpful and meaningful to you as they have been to me!
Have a great day!
10 Thoughts Shared:
Hey Melanie
I can't wait to read what else you have to share, it sounds like you got some great teaching there. I hope you have some practical advice for us that we can quickly implement... it is so easy to get our schedules and days filled up that we do not have time to breathe, much less minister to those in need that God brings across our path...
Hope you are having a great day!
Blessings!
Embracing da margin! Much needed for me. Seriously, the way I'm wired I require margin. Can't wait to see what else you share. Looking forward to it.
I have been learning to ebrace my margin.... Thank you for sharing. I am looking forward to reading more ... Thank you.. Blessings
These are great thoughts! I'm doing pretty well with most of them, but I'm still working on "having breath at the top of the staircase." ;o)
Blessings...
Looking forward to more of this. Good stuff! Thanks so much.
That seems to be something that comes up a lot lately and looking forward to hearing more!
Melanie, that was some good stuff. Some time ago I wrote an article on that very subject "Margins". I am looking forward to hearing what more you have to say on this subject! -blessings, Laurie
Good stuff....I chuckled and then realized in a lot of these it describes me. YIKES!! Can't wait to hear more!
Blessings!
Some weeks I just write all in my margins!! :) Maybe our teachers really DID know what they were talking about when they told us to keep it inside those margins!! I can't wait to hear more on this subject. My daytimer looks forward to it also!!
I think I need more 'margin' in a few areas of my life.
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