Guest Post by Cindy Sproles:
I met Cindy at the Blue Ridge Christian Writer’s Conference this year, and she made a huge impact in my life. She loves the Lord, has a heart for people, and knows how to encourage others. When I asked her to be a guest blogger, she graciously said yes, and I’m thrilled to be able to share her words of wisdom with you. Her newest book, New Sheets – Thirty Days to Refine You Into the Woman You Can Be is being used to help raise funds for Hope House, an abortion crisis center. I highly recommend this book.
“There’s just no time. What do I do; social media as I crawl into bed?”
That’s what a friend told me at dinner as we discussed marketing, social media and well…just getting back to being friends with our friends on Facebook. The more I thought about this the more it bothered me. Us worker bees have put ourselves in a real pickle. We don’t know when to stop.
There’s nothing wrong with a good work ethic. My parents taught me to be 15 minutes early to work and be one of the last out the door when the whistle blew. Of course, the work ethic of my parents (and me) doesn’t always translate to the younger generations who often stand, palms out, waiting. But for those of us who do have a strong work ethic, it can easily overtake us.
Just as easy as it is to be lazy, it’s equally as easy to become a work-a-holic. In either case…no one wins. So let’s look at ways we can draw the line between work and rest.
*Set a cut-off time – If your schedule includes 40 hours outside the home, then only allow yourself two hours work at home. The mind requires rest. Without time to refuel stress sets in and with stress…health issues. Draw a line in the sand and don’t step over.
*Sleep – Don’t cheat sleep. Believe it or not sleep does more than you think. Sleep allows your body to clean itself. Blood pressure drops and the heart can relax . Sleep renews your attitude and mood from stinky to pleasant. Don’t cheat sleep!
*Obesity – Lack of rest leads to obesity. Idle bodies get their exercise by stuffing Twinkies in their mouths. When your body is tired you don’t want to exercise and exercise is vital to maintaining weight and your heart. Truth: Tired+no exercise=chunky bodies.
The truth is, we need rest and despite the schedule you maintain you’re doing yourself and your family a huge injustice by not setting time aside to relax.
Take time to rest. God noted in Genesis that on the seventh day HE RESTED. If it’s good enough for the Creator of all heaven and earth, follow His example. Make time for rest. Your production at work will increase, energy levels rise and moods improve. Win, win.
Cindy Sproles is an author and speaker. She is the cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries and the cowriter of the popular He Said, She Said Devotions written with her cofounder, Eddie Jones. Cindy’s devotions and articles are published in Christian newspapers across the eastern seaboard, including Common Ground Christian Newspaper, Tri-County News and Hometown Christian News. She is a speaker to women’s conferences addressing not only the heart of women but also their biblical responsibilities to their families. As a teacher and speaker for Christian Writers Conferences, Cindy teaches writing skills and how to write, placing God in the forefront. She is a contributing author to CBN.com and is the Executive Editor for www.christiandevotions.us and the Devotional Acquisitions Editor for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. Cindy works along side Scott McCausey and Eddie Jones to cohost the syndicated Blog Talk Radio show, Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! She is a certified life coach and mentor, an eldercare specialist and a special needs advocate. Her newest book, New Sheets – Thirty Days to Refine You Into the Woman You Can Be is being used to help raise funds for Hope House, an abortion crisis center. Cindy is also the coauthor of He Said, She Said – A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion. She is the mother of four sons and lives in the mountains of East Tennessee with her husband. Cindy can be contacted at www.cindysproles.com or by emailing cindyksproles@gmail.com.
