Thought for the Day: 042607 Church and Balance

This week and even recent months have provided vivid demonstrations of how committed I am already at church specifically, and how difficult I find it trying to balance this level of commitment with the rest of my life.

During the last seven days, for example, I attended a church-based Circle Supper on Saturday; facilitated for the Open Forum Discussion Sunday morning; attended the worship service; attended a class on the Protestant Reformation and served as its projectionist on Monday; facilitated for one Communicating Compassionately Covenant Group on Tuesday; and facilitated for another on Wednesday. Friday, the first installment of the Path to Membership takes place at the house of my committee co-chairperson; Saturday, it turns out she won't attend the second installment at church, so I'm planning to; and for Sunday, 1) I was asked by our minister, Don, to select and share a meditative reading during the worship service, and 2) our Congregational Administrator has since asked me to serve as Worship Associate for that service. And I plan to do both those things. I'm still also planning to facilitate for the Open Forum Discussion Sunday morning.

I've been so involved in church lately that I frequently find myself wanting to attend one thing that conflicts with something to which I've already committed.

For example, I've missed the last three Welcoming Congregation workshops even though originally I had imagined attending all of them (not having then yet looked at my schedule). In each such case, it was something else at church for which I was already scheduled that led to the conflict.

Also, though, everything I've mentioned about my involvement doesn't include what time it takes outside church to prepare for these various activities. And I'm feeling really concerned, because I have other needs, including for balance.

For example, I experience a profound need for Aliana's well-being and growth, and I passionately want to help meet those needs in part through my homeschooling of her, and I want to make certain that my involvement elsewhere does not compromise this effort. Also, I offer much support to my family and my father. As only one example, I'm the only one in our household currently who drives. And I really want more opportunity than I've had for a long while to spend one-on-one time with Cherita.

Finally, although I'm often called extroverted, and this term does fit my impressions of myself, I also believe that each of us has needs for quiet, peace and "alone time." I also have various projects that are primarily "solo efforts" to which I really want to devote more attention. All my life, I've loved to write, and I really want to devote more energy to that. Furthermore, I've been shocked lately by how much my time even for reading has been limited.