Margin

* This was originally posted on my other website on October 26, 2016.

We all need it.  Most of us want it. Few of us have it.  And when we get it, we don’t know what to do with it. Margin is a hugely understated need in our culture today.  Without margin, we can’t breathe.  We suffocate in our busy lives. Without margin in our lives, it’s difficult to love well, to spend time with people, and to really know them.  WE NEED MARGIN.  We NEED downtime.

Several times over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed that just when I needed it most, when I felt like I was drowning in responsibilities, activities, expectations…I was given the GIFT of MARGIN! Whether it came in the form of a canceled practice, an event moved to a different day, or a friend offering to keep my boys, these moments were all GIFTS!

Through these moments, I have experienced deep thankfulness.  Thankful that I could now cook dinner without being rushed.  Thankful that my family could sit together at dinner.  Thankful that I could sit on the porch swing and just BE.  Thankful that I could feel the FREEDOM to play a game with my boys, read a book, or try a new recipe.

Two thoughts keep swirling around in my head about this.

It’s not good for us to be continually so busy with packed schedules that we have no downtime, no time to just be, no time to invite others into our life.

The other thought is where I will leave you for today.

If life gives you MARGIN, don’t try to fill your time with something else. Instead, accept it for the GIFT that it is.

How can you find margin in your life today? How can you ACCEPT the gift of margin when it comes unexpectedly?

Blessings ~ Kendra

*A note about this post.  I actually wrote this post months ago.  It has been sitting in my drafts box, along with many other future posts, for awhile now. Once again, over the past few days, this theme of margin has been coming up.  It is amazing how, when reading through this, I could have written the same words, nearly word for word, today.  A personal life lesson that I am learning for myself is that when a word or life theme continually comes to mind, PAY ATTENTION!!  It might be time to make some changes!