Everyday Sacred

One of the books that's on my waiting list to read right now on my Kindle is, Everyday Sacred by Sue Bender.  What got my attention about this book was  the story she tells of announcing to a friend that her first book, Plain and Simple, had made it to the New York Times Bestseller list, and her friend immediately shot back, "But what number on the list are you?"  Bender was shocked, realizing that nothing we accomplish seems like enough in our overly pressured world.   An Amazon.com review reveals that: "Everyday Sacred is a journey that readers follow Bender on, making every moment enough. Cleaning a desk, sipping cappuccino, making computer connections, and appreciating freshly painted walls all become opportunities to satiate one's life with sacred encounters."

I've had so many goals lately and some I've reached and more of them I haven't.  Friday is my "sacred day off" and I wanted to clean my whole house and make it like a showplace.  Instead I got two little trees lit out front, and my patio bushes in back.  I also did one load of clothes, made food and iced tea for the ladies Christmas party, cleaned up the kitchen, and that was it. Then I went to the women's Christmas party.  So much for lofty goal of getting the whole house done.

Yesterday I wanted to follow up on my unreached Friday goals, and maybe get some Christmas shopping done.  Instead I got my shoes straightened up in my closet, one load of clothes done, the top of my dresser cleaned off, the clothes ready for Sunday morning, and the kitchen cleaned up again.  Aside from that I got no real shopping done but we did go to the Shops at Wiregrass and saw the light show at the big Christmas tree, and the Nutcracker Ballet.  They even had snow.  It was lovely.

I haven't achieved anything super big this week, in my humble opinion.  I dusted my house exactly a week ago but now it's totally dusty again.  It stayed that way while I went and looked at Christmas tree lights.  Something about that makes me feel like a failure.  That's exactly why I am wanting to read Everyday Sacred and remind myself that there's nothing wrong with doing nothing especially when on other days you're doing everything.  Right now things are slammed at the church as well as NextJob.  It was reported this week that the unemployment percentage in America is at an all time high of 9.8.  Nobody will be surprised to find out that our company has had a flood of new job seekers we are helping in the last month.  My workload between the two jobs has really increased and the last thing I'm doing is complaining.  It's a blessing to have one job let alone two.  God has blessed me and given me incredible opportunities.

I simply struggle with balance.  And would you believe I led our coach talk last week at NextJob which was on the subject:  "Balance in Our Busy Lives"?   I told them I'm like the plumber whose house always has leaky pipes.  I can see what other people need to do to come into greater balance and articulate it ever so clearly, yet find it hard to apply to myself.  I also shared with the other coaches that I don't think perfect balance is possible, but juggling is. 

I always feel like I need to do more on my day off.

And resting often feels anything but sacred. 

That needs to change.  Maybe Sue Bender can help me.


* Back with True Church Stories tomorrow!!