By golly, I am empty

I am often asked how I do it all. "All" meaning balancing marriage, four kids, two grandkids, a full-time job, a business that has now turned into a ministry as well, friends, and church, and still look alive. The answer is that I have to be very intentional with my time. Each moment of the day is accounted for just as you would your monthly budget. I look at the gains and the losses of how I spend my time very carefully. I have been through seasons where the losses seemed to prevail, and I found myself sinking fast. I have learned how important it is how I spend each moment of my day.

I choose to spend my downtime doing the things that fill me to the fullest, and for me, that is spending my time reading. I have noticed that some things that we do are just "junk food" type activities in life, meaning that they provide substance but not sustenance. The activities are not sustaining for good growth and strength. Instead, they are just passing the time, but you do not feel lighter in the end: most often, you feel just the same. It is easy to find an activity that will allow you just to "check out" or "numb," but the day's problem or weight is never relieved, and the lack simply continues.

My evenings are often spent reading, listening, or encountering people or ideas that fill me up; they propel me into the next day, filled with excitement. Being intentional with our moments is what breathes life into our future. If you find yourself feeling drained, I encourage you to look at how you are spending the minutes of your day. Especially look at whether you are adding fulfilling moments or depleting activities to your day. It's important that you make sure you are full. You can't give to others if you allow yourself to run on empty.