I ain't got time to bleed!

These are the infamous words uttered by Jesse Ventura in some action movie or another that he was in…and later, was also the title of his memoirs after becoming governor of my beloved home state [Go Twins and Vikings!!!].

I ain't got time to bleed.

I wish I did. I have had some challenging and difficult ministry experiences, and there are times when I wish I had the luxury of time to go off and lick my wounds for awhile – maybe find a monastic retreat center somewhere and seclude myself – just me and God, in a cabin out in the woods [with all the proper amenities, of course - I really only like the idea of camping, not the actuality of roughing it!].

However – bills need to get paid. Work needs to get done in order for those bills to get paid. Besides that, I am doing what I am called to do and I thoroughly enjoy doing it. So what if I'm pretty much booked through the beginning of March? I'm loving every minute of it!!!

On the down side, it is a challenge to get in quality time with Jesus or my husband at this time of year – now through the beginning of March is “crazy-busy time” for me, with the Mpact sleepover/kids' ministry room remodel/Christmas play/holiday season/winter camp/Kidz Blazt/annual business meeting/national children’s pastors’ conference. Wow. Say that five times fast!

Still, I need to remember that JESUS is my first love. My husband is the love of my life. We make time for the things that mean the most to us, and I cannot afford to blow either of them off for the sake of the ministry. I am tired of reading about ministry couples who were so focused on all the “stuff” they were doing, that they drifted apart. I am tired of hearing about pastors who got so burned out on working for God, that they forgot ABOUT God and crashed and burned. I am determined not to be either of those people.

There is no balance; only order. Jeff Vanvonderen explains it well in his book Tired of Trying to Measure Up. I’ll see if I can explain it clearly without his nifty diagrams…Ideally:

*God is always at the center.
*Your relationships with each other should be the next “ring” in the circle.
*Everything else is free to, and does, shift around.

FOR EXAMPLE:

In the end of November/beginning of December, our lives pretty much center around the Christmas play. Our meals are determined by how quickly they can be prepared and consumed [and we allow for a certain amount of fast-food runs, trying our best to make healthy choices!]. Our workdays are structured around what needs to get done for the set, etc. Plans are made based on whether or not we have accomplished certain tasks. Once we have children, they will get to be part of this grand adventure as well [lucky kids!]…

On the opposite end of the spectrum…last April when we got the call that my grandfather had passed away, that was what mattered. Work was of little importance. We called our bosses that night and told them which days we would be gone that week. My husband [awesome man that he is!] saw that I was flustered and in shock, and he contacted all of our leaders and made sure Sunday morning was covered. For that long weekend, our lives centered around family and nothing else.

Vanvonderen’s point was that as long as families keep God as the absolute center, and maintain excellent relationships with each other, everything else can shift around based on the situation. And if your relationships with God and each other are where they need to be, the whole family rallies around each other to accomplish what needs to be done – and this is perfectly healthy.

God gives us the grace to accomplish everything that He has called us to do, and he provides us with the support we need to get it done. We can rest in this, and our lives can be peaceful and Christ-centered, even when we "ain't got time to bleed."