Sacrifice

 My pastor preached about sacrifice yesterday. Sacrifice is tough. Sometimes you feel like you're losing out on something and maybe you are, and maybe you aren't. For the longest time I've struggled with sacrificing of time. And recently, as my daughters are getting older and busier, I'm thinking about it even more. And the conclusion I've come to is this: If I put my full and total effort into what I'm doing when I'm not around my girls, then I am not sacrificing time away from them, I am doing my best so that when I am with them, I can give them my full time and attention. This is a recent revelation that I've had in my quiet time and prayer time.

  I've regularly beat myself up over the time spent doing things. Doing the wrong things and doing the right things. In my new schedule starting today, I am attempting to balance that time as best as I can. Heading into this schedule, I feel like I am going to be able to handle it better than I have in the past. Will that happen? Only time will tell. You see, Sunday through Thursday, the majority of my focus is on my job. Friday and Saturday, the majority of my focus is on my family. There will be overlap, as there should be, but I know that when it gets to Friday and Saturday, if I've done my work and planning and preparation throughout the week as well as I possibly can, then I can focus on my family primarily those two days.

 I've recently had more than a few conversations with people in regards to time management between ministry and family, music writing, ministry and family and music writing and family. In all of these conversations, I've come across with one main takeaway. You have to do what fits you. You have to figure out through trial and error how best you function, how best you work, then do it. I've had many trials and errors, and I'm sure I'll have more, but I feel like I am starting to get a handle as to how to best function and balance with a wife, 2 daughters, the pulls of a full-time church music ministry, 13 private lessons, and trying to write music to better myself and bless the church. It will be messy, it will call for sacrifice, but I think I'm ready.