Testimony of Living

I just finished a whirlwind of two weeks.  It was all good stuff keeping me busy and in hindsight, I see God's grace in helping me balance all aspects of life so that family was never neglected.   At one point, I had 4 speaking engagements to deliver in a matter of one week.  It began last weekend with the wedding of Dominic and Jimmie Schramm. (It was beautiful wedding and a lot of fun).  Then I taught at The Awakening, this past Tuesday night.  The Men's ministry the very next morning was on my plate but good friend Jeff Harrison was able to teach that Wednesday morning for me so that these great men received more than my sloppy seconds.  I heard he did a great job.  Finally, I gave a sermon for my sermon class on Wednesday (I'm pretty sure the sloppy seconds went to my classmates, sorry guys.)   Anyway, these were only my speaking engagements, not counting the other responsibilities I have in School, work and family.

Being so busy preparing messages I had two thoughts in my head:

 1) I could hear my pastor, Gary Brandenburg's voice in my head saying , "Phil, this is ministry, You HAVE to learn how to balance it all."

                His "encouragement" has inspired me more on the home front than anywhere else. 

2) Why do I feel more important the busier I am?

                This is the one that scares me.  This is where balance can get off center.  I confess, if I am not careful, I may just end up finding my identity in what I do - or more accurately, what I am doing.  If it is in my activity that I find my identity I will never find rest.  And, being that there is always more to do, I will never be able to stop for fear that who I am will be lost.  This must be the life equation of the workaholic.

Yet the dirty truth is that Activity is always greater than the amount of Completion. Thus for the workaholic, Identity is always in question.  Ouch.

Anyone else feeling this?  How have you kept your balance?