Ok--back to the subject of MARGINS. I love definitions....so here goes another
mar·gin noun (plural mar·gins)
Definition: (from online Encarta dictionary--skipping parts I didn't like :)
1. blank space at side of page
2. outer edge
3. limit: a boundary indicating the limit beyond which something should not go
4. additional amount: an amount over and above what is strictly necessary, included for safety reasons
My life over the last 5 months has lacked margins. We tend to get so bogged down in stuff--that we fail to have necessary margins. Sometimes--we have no control over what happens in our lives, but if we leave space--a little crisis can squeeze into the margins that we have left. If we "book" our lives too tightly, when a crisis or unexpected circumstance arises, we lack that "blank" space, "limits," and that extra "additional amount" of time that is needed for "safety reasons."
I don't know about you--but it's not safe for my emotions, my family time, my health--when I go beyond the margins in my life. Over the years, I've learned to say no to some things in order to maintain a little margin. Besides--a page that has no margins--that's written on from edge to edge--is not easy to focus upon and it's not aesthetically appealing either. I think when I ditch the margins--I'm often not the most pleasurable person to be around. (That's when Brett tells me--go get some sleep!)
So add margins in your life when you can--they are absolutely needed! Saying no to certain extra commitments and to simple things like wasted time watching TV, unfruitful telephone conversations, just being "lazy," and of course--good ol' wasted computer time--will help give back a few of those margins!
Well--my time's up--gotta go to keep up!
Ephesians 5:15-16 Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity....
Perfectly well written Cathy! And I agree 100%...I call them boundaries! Well aware of how they can be missed.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this entry tremendously!
sonja