This will be the first entry in a series on living a balance life style.

What is the essence of true success?  Is it accomplishing great deeds?  Or, is it obtaining financial wealth?  In some eyes, success is just raising healthy, well-rounded children.  All of these things are nice but to much of anything can turn out to be a bad thing.  If there is anything in your life that consumes you and would devastate you if something bad were to happen with it, then you are out of balance.  For those that are too invested in one thing, it becomes easy to loose perspective on life.

Here is a bit of insight…

Some time ago, my wife and I dealt with an issue surrounding our church life.  For the first few years of our marriage, we didn’t go to church very often and my wife was in need of having a more spiritual life.  Admittingly, it was my fault that we didn’t go to church.  I spent every waking moment working on my business.  After staying up late on most nights, I didn’t have the energy to wake up on Sunday mornings.  That was an issue in itself.  On the other hand, my wife started attend a particular church that preached a message that was designed for single women.  The central theme of the message was that you only need God and having a mate was not important.  As my wife got more into going to this church, it begin to affect our relationship.  The church wanted more and more time and it was beginning to divide us at home.

Now here comes the resolution…

First, let me be clear that I have nothing against going to church (so get that out of your head).  The problem was create by both my wife and myself.  On my wife’s end, this particular church was becoming consuming and not leaving room for our family.  Yes, God center of our lives; but you cannot put your love ones in the position where they feel like they are competing with God (God will win everytime).  On my end, I needed to get out of my silo and listen to the needs my wife.  Not to mention, I needed to get strengthen my spiritual life for myself.  Consequently, we agreed to find a church home that we could both enjoy.

So, the point to this story is that we both had to learn how to balance our needs for the benefit of our household.  Although my work was important and going to church was important, both things have their place.

Now, what I have shared here should be easy to understand.  But, this is just the beginning.  Achieving balance is simple but difficult.  I just wanted to lay the ground work for my series on balance.

Please feel free to comment and add to this discussion…