Don’t Be a Bench-er!

Have you ever been on a merry-go-round and seen the people who sit on the bench? You know, there are the benches and then there are the horses that go up and down. The “benchers” like to sit still and go around and around without movement. The “benchers” puzzle me…

Over the weekend, I tried multiple times to clean my house. Now, I am able to keep the downstairs clean because if I have company that’s where people will go. The upstairs, however, resembles an A&E show that will remain unnamed. After multiple attempts, I stopped trying to clean the house; instead I chose to turn my attention back onto my kids. We left the house and picked up a friend and we headed to the mall for the evening. I had a great time hanging out at the mall laughing and talking and chasing after my son. When I returned home, guess what? THE UPSTAIRS WAS STILL A MESS! Wait a minute; NO ONE CLEANED UP MY HOUSE WHILE I WAS GONE?! Nope, they didn’t and I’m fine with that. I’m okay with the decision I made to abandon ship and enjoy the evening with a friend and Two Live Crew (my nickname for my kids).

What is the takeaway from this? Well, for those of you who are neat freaks, your takeaway may be that my priorities are out of sync and that I need to go home and straighten up my house. In fact, I’m 100% positive that if my mother reads this she will shake her head. But, for those who juggle a career, volunteering, kids, a spouse, single life, pets, etc. (yep, that’s pretty much everyone), I hope you realize one thing. LIFE IS NOT PROMISED! I wasn’t guaranteed a wakeup call from God this morning, on THIS side of Earth and if I woke up in Heaven this morning I’m pretty sure God wasn’t going to drill me on the cleanliness of my bedroom. You have one time and that’s it; no do overs! For me, the mall was a choice I made to enjoy Saturday. I have a friend who packed up and along with her son, moved to Abu Dhabi. I have a friend who juggles work, a husband, kids and a career ALL while pursuing her PhD. I have a friend who is working night and day to launch her business. I have friend who chooses to the hit the gym early in the morning to reach her goals. I have a friend who is thinking about leaving behind everything she has grown to love and know, to follow her husband to Bahrain for a few years. I have a friend who walked away from her comfortable job with benefits to pursue her passion in the restaurant industry. I have a friend who pursued the military which meant leaving her beautiful kids for a few weeks for basic training. I have a friend who after experiencing heartbreak, she still uses the hashtag, #LivLyfe, and she does EVERY moment she gets!

For me, it was simply going to the mall on a Saturday. For others, it is something larger, although it doesn’t have to be. The point is, get off the bench and do something! Ask God for direction and then get up and MOVE! Stop sitting on the bench and playing it safe. Don’t do what “you’re supposed to do” and how society tells you to do it and just LIVE as you’re called to live. No, we won’t all have grandiose stories; it just may be breaking away from the norm for a few moments. Whatever it is, just do it!! You actually may discover that the horse is pretty fun!

#LivLyfe

“There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil.  This also I saw, is from the hand of God.” –Ecclesiastes 2:24

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