Balance

I've been thinking lately about time and priorities. I seem to be in a stage of life where time is in short supply. My kids are of the age that their schedules become all consuming, and I am in a stage where I say 'yes' all too often. Last week I reached my tipping point. Hence, my thinking about time. Where do I allocate it? To what extent do I allow my family to be stretched? At what point do I reign it all in and calm the busy down to something liveable?

Over the last week, I've tried to take control over a few things, in hopes of better managing a lot of other things. But in the back of my mind, my thoughts are endlessly stirring over the choices we are making. What items on the schedule do we skip and which ones do we give all our energy to? Maybe this is a battle that is continuously debated, but never fully resolved.

As my thoughts have simmered over the topics of family, priorities and time, my mind stumbled upon the parable of the ten virgins. I recalled that 5 were prepared to meet the Bridegroom, with their lamps heavy with oil. But, there were also 5 who had made choices to spend their time elsewhere, and thus, their lamps were empty when the Bridegroom came.

I've always seen this story in relation to spiritual matters. But what if it is more? What if it also applies to the daily choices we make as we go about our busy lives? This parable may not have just one application. As I look closely, maybe the 5 who were prepared were those who looked at all the choices presented and were able to select only those that would fill their lamps. What if they too were mothers with busy schedules, and callings to fulfill, and kids to shuttle back and forth, and volunteer obligations at school? Somehow, these 5 women looked at the life of their family and made priorities. They chose wisely. I highly doubt they did it all.

Maybe the 5 who were standing with empty vessels were the ones who tried to do too much. They attempted to get everything done and meet every obligation. They ran tirelessly to accomplish it all, and yet, their lamps were never filled.

So, this week I have tried to discover which group of 5 I am in, and which group I want to be in. I believe it's a work in progress. It probably always will be. Life ebbs and flows. Some times are busier than others. Balance is harder to fight for at different moments and stages. But, as long as we know which side of the parable we stand on, everything will work together for our good. As long as we are trying our best to fill our families' lamp with oil, we will be prepared to meet the Bridegroom. We reach Him one choice at a time.