Friday, March 12, 2010

The Balancing Act

A while back I was talking to a friend and told her I felt like I was one of those people in the circus who stands on a see saw and balances plates on poles and keeps all of them spinning. They start with one plate, then add two and soon they are balancing on one leg and spinning plates on both hands, the top of their head, and even on their nose. It feels like a perfect metaphor for my life.

My friend asked me why I didn't just let some of those plates drop.  A good question. But which plates do I let drop? Would it be the mother plate? The teacher plate? The wife plate? The friend plate?  The graduate student plate? And of course my real fear is if one of these plates drop then they are all going to start dropping!   Just writing about this makes me tired.  But it also reminds me that when I believe that I am the only one spinning the plates then eventually they are all going to drop. 

The problem with this viewpoint is that it puts me square in the center of the universe.  And I'm not. God is. When God is in the center of the universe (As He always is and should be) then He gets to spin the plates and I can step off the the balance beam. In truth the only thing I really need to keep in balance is my relationship with God.  And if you really think about it - God is so big and I am so little that there is no way to stay in balance with God except to allign myself with His will and let Him do the balancing act.   So how do I do this?  I start by letting go.  I let everyone in my life live their lives in the best way they can.  I let God direct my steps.  I pray and ask for guidance when I need it and then I let God take the rest. I stop worrying. Fretting. Spinning.  I trust.  I trust that God will give me the strength, knowledge, time or whatever else I need when I need it, and then I try to enjoy each day, each moment as it come.  Sounds simple but it's not so easy for a veteran plate spinner like me.  Oddly, I was never very good at spinning plates. Actually not good at all.  I would have never made it to Barnum and Bailey.  So, today or at least for the next few minutes I am going to let the Master do this work for me.   He is actually pretty good at it.

9 comments:

  1. Following you from Friday Follow.

    Have a great weekend! :)
    http://raisingmy4sons.com

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  2. I so understand! It is so hard to juggle everything but obviously we think everything is important or we wouldn't be trying to do it all!

    Came over from Friday Follow.

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  3. Hi there.
    Stopping in on Saturday for Friday Follow.
    Have a great day!
    Harriet

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  4. Hi, I am your latest follower from Friday Follow (on a saturday). Please stop by my blog at www.safehomehappymom.com and follow us as well.

    Have a lovely weekend

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  5. Hi there! I'm still hopping around from Friday Follow (on Monday-LOL-I have 4 kiddos, gotta do it when you have time!). I am your newest follower. I'd love for you to come follow mine! Have a great week!

    Bridgette Groschen
    The Groschen Goblins
    http://www.groschengoblins.com/

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  6. Hi There,

    I found you via Friday Follow. I am someone who has dropped all my plates and now get to trust solely in God to pick them up. It is a good feeling. I have to constantly remind myself that he is in charge and can do a much better job in my life than I can.

    Matthew 6:25-34
    Do Not Worry
    25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[a]?
    28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

    **Forgive me for taking up so much space on your comment section. Follow back at http://jotgiveaways.blogspot.com

    I am having a giveaway for a Christian book called Amish Peace that you may really enjoy.

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  7. Hello!

    We came across your site through the FF and decided to follow your blog. We are looking forward to reading more of your posts. Come on over and visit us when you get a free moment. Have a fabulous day! <3

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  8. Hello

    Happy Friday Follow!! Im a new follower!

    Mavericks Mommy

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  9. follow you from follow friday! You have a great blog. I would love if you come follow me!

    http://mylittlestgravesies.blogspot.com/

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