SUNDAY EDITORIAL

Those of you who have been with us awhile know that Saturday and Sunday are LJG and my days to sound off. Today is no different. Today I want to speak on families.

For the most part our family is made up of people that we did not choose. Unlike friends we cannot pick and choose, nor can we walk away completely. Families should be there for each other in spite of all our differences. We all make mistakes and it is in falling down that we reach out for those that we know will be there for us. At times it is the ones we would rather not have helping that truly open their arms the widest to us. Thank God for them.

What I want to really touch on today though is the fact that everyone, and I do mean everyone needs to have time to themselves. For those of us that are givers, people do not realize that yes we do want you to go away at times. Not that we want to hurt your feelings that is the last thing we would ever want to do. We are sincerely glad that we can be a help to you in your time of need. We really don’t mind that you need our ears and yes shoulders at all hours of the day and night. But then there comes a time when we ask to be alone. Nothing personal, it is a fact of life.

I needed that today more then I knew. I asked yesterday that I have some time alone. I felt myself getting low on spiritual fuel; felt that I could not go any further. I needed the time to do nothing. The phone rang and I did not answer it. I did not even look to see who it was. I just did not want any outside anything in my life today. I wanted to rest in the arms of my Father.

People we can and should be there for others, but we also have to make time for ourselves. We know what is on our plates. We know what is going on and we do care. But when we ask for that time please give it to us. That time alone is what gives us the strength to be there for others.

If you are a giver, then please make sure you do take that time for yourself. If you are on the receiving end then please understand that to be there for you and others there will be times we will need to step back; we to need a breath of fresh air. We to need to rest in the arms of our Father and enjoy the peace that only He can give.

Sometimes we get so caught up in our problems that we do not hear the other person saying so gently so kindly, give me some time. We do know that what you are going through is at the top of your list, we do know that you need us right now this minute. But understand that we also need quality time for God and also importantly ourselves.

Givers have a problem with overextending themselves to help others. We will stretch ourselves to the limit for you. We live to give and give to live, but there is a limit even for us. We have to be the one to say no, and it hurts us very much. Take some time for yourself; it is the only way that you can really be there for others.

God bless each one of you today,
rECj/LJG