Don't forget about you

       Over the past year I have learned a lot. I have grown and matured as a believer and have come to realize a few very important things. One of which includes taking care of myself. I don't just mean health and hygiene but also mentally.

       I grew up being taught to put others first and always die to self. I agree with this, and try to live most of my life like that. However, I have come to realize that if I don't also take care of myself, I cannot take care of others, most importantly my family.

     It's easy for me to get busy with the daily "to dos" and "have to get this done" stuff. Before writing this post I had a list of things that I felt like had to come first. They aren't bad, but they could have waited. I am so busy running around that I get tired early in the day and can't give all the attention the baby or my husband needs because I am running on empty or still have a long list of things to complete. The few times I do stop and rest or just slow down, I feel guilty and that I should be doing something. I have had to remind myself not to feel that way.

     It's easy to get so involved in ministry, work, and being a wife and mother that I forget that I too have needs. I can't give all the time without stopping for a fill up every now and then. How each person "fills up" is different and may change from time to time. Right now, solitude and quiet are biggies for me, but also needlework. I have always had a need to do things with my body and hands. That's probably why I like dancing so much. But I also relax when doing needlework. My two favorites are cross-stitch and crochet. There is just something about the creation of things through my hands, and the feel of the textures that is calming for me. I can be creating something useful or decorative, but it's the process that helps me. Writing too, I enjoy writing so why not take a few minutes everyday to do something for me?

      It's hard to realize that taking care of myself is not wrong. And that actually, by taking care of me, I can better care for my family. I car will only run for so long on an empty tank, you have to stop and fill up at some point. Isn't better to do it before you are on empty?

      So, my advice to all new Moms or people on the mission field. Don't forget to take care of yourself too. Yes, ultimately you will be caring for others, but spending a little bit of time on yourself is just helping you care for others. If that's spending an hour reading a book, or maybe watching some TV, whatever, it's okay to slow down and it's okay to say "no" sometimes. We live in such a fast paced world, take a few minutes to slow down and take care of you,

Until next time, may Adonai bless you and your homes.