Taking "Me Time"

It’s the Holidays! Red and Green are everywhere! Wrapping paper will soon litter my floor, presents are hidden throughout the house . . . and my weekly schedule has officially exploded.


I’m pretty busy throughout the year: working Monday – Friday, hitting the gym 3-4 days a week, Church on Sunday, Bible study at my house Sunday afternoon, mentoring on Mondays, (preparing lessons for these meetings throughout the week) housesitting whenever I’m needed, physical therapy about once a week and squeaking out blog posts whenever I can.


Now it’s December and I’m doing all these things PLUS scheduling Holiday parties, planning the menus, decorating the house and tree (on different days because that’s all the time I can manage), Christmas shopping and trying to keep up with my laundry.

It’s a tricky thing, that laundry. I swear the expression of "multiply like rabbits" can be applied to my socks!


Things at work have also kicked into high gear – meaning there’s more work to do with less people and that equals working overtime, covering for others and even going in on the weekends.

But that’s the job, and I’m exhausted.

I need a break, but my schedule won’t allow that until . . . December 22nd. Even then, I’ll be preparing for Christmas Eve and cleaning my house from top to bottom and creating a delicious Italian themed dinner, complete from the appetizers to desserts to the after dinner coffee (or cappuchino).

In the meantime, my nails need to be painted, eyebrows need some attention, my closet blew up and I haven’t even made dinner in 2 weeks.

I’ve taken quite a liking to toast, peanut butter and yogurt suppers with a not-so-healthy helping of to-do lists and waves of guilt for not getting everything done.

And did I mention all the stress who comes holding hands with anxiety for the Holidays?

So you can imagine my frustration on Monday morning when I was reading a Max Lucado devotional book, and he’s reminding me how important it is to take time for yourself.
"Making time to check out is rejuvenating and revitalizing for your person and your soul. How else can you give to others if you don’t take time for yourself?"


I said to the book, "That’s great Max . . . but have you SEEN my schedule???"

Then said to myself, "Oh my gosh, I’m a terrible youth leader and terrible mentor who is on the verge of burnout because I don’t have time to take time for myself! I’ll never be able to handle youth ministry again!"


I tend to think in extremes.


One question my book didn’t answer for me was this . . .
Did friend Max mean that it’s important to take time away from the daily grind for spiritual purposes to connect with God, or simply take time out from the hustle and bustle and chances are God will find you anyway?

Furthermore, is spending time at the gym or in front the the TV considered "me time" or should I be in absolute solitude, staring at the wall?
I don't have an answer – but I am looking for one!

So tell me, do you, my dear readers, take any time for yourselves? How do you classify "me time"?