Inspired Word of the Year: Balance

   Hello readers,
I thought I posted this on January 1st so as to alert you all that I was taking a one-month Sabbath from blog writing and from checking blog statistics.  I'm very sorry if you've come looking here for new material over the past month.  I intend to resume my writing, once or twice per week.
~Harriette

   In 2014 I chose a word for the year: Hope/Esperanza.  It was a good concept to reflect upon; I trust that these reflections may have been an encouragement to others as well.
   Like the author of The Peaceful Mom blog, I am continuing the practice of choosing a word to help define the year to come.  The word is "Balance."  The past few months have nudged me towards this word and concept as something I need to strive for.  In my Google+ profile I describe myself as "a teacher with a full life outside of the classroom," but lately I've come to the realization that my life might be too full.
   Balance for me means that the different facets of my life each have their proper place and yet work together is such a way that I do not feel fractured.  It is easier said than done.  Without complaining about the tasks I have taken upon myself, I need to establish priorities.  I cannot allow my part-time job at school and my part-time job as a copy editor to squeeze out spending time with my family or simply maintaining order and cleanliness at home.
   The month of January holds some promising opportunities for me: helping to lead a Marriage Course with my husband on Friday evenings, writing more curriculum for doctrine classes to be held at church and joining a rotation of Sunday School teachers.  However, to keep things in balance, I will be doing a few things differently:

• I work "afternoons" four days per week, but I've found that my mornings can easily be consumed by preparing for the classes I teach and using the internet.  To make my mornings more purposeful, I've already begun (and will continue) to follow a "rule of three."  1) Spend time with God in reading the Bible and praying, 2) Choose one or two household chores to do, and 3) Prepare something in advance that will make cooking dinner less stressful.  I intend to do all three of these things before I check my email or turn on the computer.
• For the month of January I took a Sabbath from writing on my blog.  It has helped me to focus on other things.  It was not easy to set this aside, but it was healthy.  

   As the year goes by, I will return to the theme of balance and share insights I discover along the way.