Breaking up?

And so it begins....

The retailers have been playing Christmas music since before Labour weekend, my junk mail has doubled in anticipation of the annual spend-up and I've just spent half a day collating all the various letters and emails re events coming up in the next four weeks.

Like it or not, there are now just 29 sleeps till Christmas - and it seems to me that the break-ups are getting earlier and earlier every year, so as to help people fit them all in.

Not too much of a problem for us, as we've always planned not to make plans in the last term of the year, knowing full well that everyone else will make them for us - the school, the kindy, the work, the church groups, the sports club, the extended family etc etc.

Not that I mind though, the groups we belong to bring a richness we would never have enjoyed had we been the stay-at-home types - and as much as I love my computer, it's not near as much fun as getting together with friends.

But life is getting a bit crazy - Regular readers would have noticed I missed writing my blog post last week partly, I confess, because I've been distracted by the fiasco of the Labour Party conference etc, but also due to my putting in long hours at work and the start of the Christmas rush. I'm gonna have to take the advice of a friend, that when it seems like I've got too many balls in the air, I should just put one in my pocket.

The pressure's on - to spend money. Retail apparently is going through a hard time, and while it's noted that "people are worried about the future and their job security," and "on the one hand debt reduction is a good thing", shoppers have been encouraged to "splash their cash".

I say spend what you've budgeted for - and if you haven't, then don't.

The pressure's on - to make everything just so. But so what? I'm all for making the place look nice, but does it really matter if the trees are untrimmed and the windows are still unwashed when the rellies come to visit?

And sure it helps to have a deadline, but is it worth the stress? So what if the gift arrives in January. Isn't it the thought that counts?

And no, I don't want to take away the joy you find in giving and sharing. But isn't there a balance in giving gifts vs. giving of yourself? I suspect the value others put on you is much higher than you might think.

So here's a thought: If you want to avoid a break-up, don't go to the break-up. And if you want to avoid a melt-down, take some time out to smell the roses. Take a walk in Frimley Park.

And if you haven't made the time throughout the year to put away some emotional capital, don't try and spend it all at once - you can always plan to do it differently next year, can't you...?

Decide what's important to you and don't let anyone tell you different. Since when was Christmas supposed to be a celebration on a treadmill?

And by all means, have a very merry Christmas if that's your style, but my personal wish for you is very simple: in the words of the old Christmas carol, that you also might know Peace on earth.

An eternal conundrum

I like work! On top of putting in a good 40+ hours for the boss, I run my own business, I'm involved in various areas of the church, and just for fun, I've started writing this blog. Getting bored is never an option.

If you can picture me as a juggler, throw in another ball each for my wife, my family, chores, home maintenance, carting kids and the school board. I don't watch a lot of TV (though I do play on the computer), and if I'm to have time with friends, I have to book them in.
         
That's not to say I'm a workaholic. Neither am I unhappy or having a moan, and yes, there are areas where I've dropped the ball once or twice. But generally speaking, I simply enjoy what I'm doing in the time I've been given.

For each one of us, life is a question of priorities and choices - and attitude...

The biblical story of Martha and Mary is often quoted to suggest that doing work is a lesser choice than spending time with Jesus. And well it may be, but hey, he had to eat some time. And don't forget that it was Martha who invited him into her home in the first place! The issue, as I see it, is that she took her eyes off the purpose, her work became a chore and she complained.

It's less often mentioned that there was a second, subsequent time where John records that "Martha served." No mention of complaining, no mention of reproof. Why not? Because the work she performed made it possible for Jesus to minister, and for others to receive from him. I'm absolutely confident that Martha would have gotten some special time with her good friend, just later in the day!

The question then, in the midst of all my busy-ness is, "What is my motivation?" Do I live to work or do I work to live?

Are all my efforts in order to please Him, or to make Me happy? Do I work to fulfil His purpose or my own agenda? Is it about Me and what I can do by myself, or is it about Him and what He can do through me?

Paul told the Ephesians they were created in Christ Jesus for the purpose of doing good works! And there is an eternal reward, but in my multiple activities, am I drawn closer to Him, or do I find myself - or those closest to me - resenting the cost?

I have to be honest: Is my life about the work of the Lord, or is it about the Lord of the work?

[ Footnote: A conundrum is:

           1. a riddle, esp one whose answer makes a play on words

           2. a puzzling question or problem ]

Just cos!

Some days I have words bursting out my ears, boiling up inside me, "Let me out! Let me out!" I see pictures, or read comments - or I listen to myself speak and I think about my motives. I've got things I want to say, questions I want to ask, opinions I want to debate, thoughts I need to consider...

Yet I haven't finished a blog post for two weeks. I've got some scraps of paper - filed - but I've had to discipline myself to get other priorities done first - aaaargh!!

One morning I woke up with an inspiration and wrote a few hundred words, but I have to check my facts before I publish. Some days I find myself blobbing out in front of the computer, avoiding my 'must-dos' and wanting to play with words, yet knowing I can't allow myself the indulgence until I've satisfied my clients.

I pretend I'm working, but really I'm reading news items, blog posts, opinion pieces, looking at my stats... I'm thinking about how I can promote my blog, reach more people, and whether I should set up Follow by Email, or Subscribe, (the systems for which I'm still trying to figure out.)

I'm torn between wanting to reach more readers and wanting to know how many there are, and where they're from. Maybe that's because of my background - every newspaper wants to know its readership, every orator needs an audience...

I'm trying to decide what's really important. Where's the bottom line? Why do I do what I want to do? Why do I want to do it?

And the simple answer is, "Just cos!" There's a world wide web out there, and I want to make a difference. I want to pass on what I've learnt. I want to leave my mark.

I want to take part in the great discussion...

I wanna write cos I wanna write!