I got an email comment on the White space series on my blog. It was interesting as I continue to seek to understand God’s concept of rest. In it there was a book mentioned called “Margin”. I looked it up, I think this is the same book :) the subtitle says, “Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives” Wow, that’s a mouthful! Just by reading what I could get of the premise of the book tells me I have a LONG way to go but that is my deep desire. Here is a quote from the back of the book
RX: FROM THE DESK OF RICHARD A. SWENSON, M.D. Overload is not having time to finish the book you're reading on stress. Margin is having time to read it twice. Overload is fatigue. Margin is energy. Overload is red ink. Margin is black ink. Overload is hurry. Margin is calm. Overload is anxiety. Margin is security. Overload is the disease of this century. Margin is the cure.
I battled once with brain trauma. There was a lot about my experience that was a challenge but it profoundly changed my perspective on many things. Before I got sick, (my brain trauma was a reaction to a drug) I taught choir and swimming at our local homeschool coop. I was also a youth group leader, a homeschool mother of three, and well the list goes on and on. Margin? I had none! Then one day my whole world came to a stand still while I relearned how to go to the bathroom, walk and drive.
I had to pull back on everything and I never went back to the same pitch again. Not that I couldn’t it’s just that nothing I was doing seemed that important anymore. Much more important to me was the precious gift I had been given of time to watch my family grow and hear them laugh. Laughter is such a beautiful sound. You know, we need to laugh, it opens up airways to the brain (it’s true) and feeds our brain more oxygen. I love to just sit in the room while my kids are laughing. It nourishes my soul. But laughter by definition takes interaction time… Laughter isn’t often something done in huge groups. It takes time and connection to really have a big belly laugh. Oh sometimes they try to get you to laugh at a movie but somehow that doesn’t sound the same.
Our society shushes children when they are laughing and we limit times when children play. In our work-a-day world it is not looked on as “productive” to laugh and we are so stinkin’ isolated as people that after work connection for single, or divorced, or struggling folk.
Hmmm I think laughter might be a barometer for measuring inner rest. What do you think?
Speaking of margin, I have this really cool bicycle. I got it on ebay a while back. It looks like a Harley hog with a seat like the old stingray bikes it’s is the envy of all the 10 year old boys I ride past *smile* but it is electric which means I can pedal, I can push a button and zoom or I can have a little power assist on the hills (my favorite!). I love not using a car for running errands and I love being outside on a nice day. I don’t mind riding in the rain either. It’s just cool. I’ve got to say, (once I got over how ridiculous I look sitting on this goofy looking thing). I kind of like being the envy of the boys *smile*. They are still young enough to show obvious delight and it is just plain fun to be around kids. The thing is, I hardly had time to use it last year. There was always some reason why I didn’t have time to go 14 miles an hour when I could go 40… Sad. Yesterday was amazing. It was over 68 degrees! (that doesn’t happen this far north this time of year) I took the car when I should have biked. Grrr! I am going to work on the margin thing :)
1) (business meeting with God)
2) (blog)
3) (Act of Random Kindness)
4) (Clean something)
5) (Order something)
6) (Book)
7) (Family)
8) (Me)
9) (Ministry)
10) (rest)
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