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((from Eve))

Ever since I had a planner to fill out (probably middle school-ish?) I’ve had a problem. I like to fill it. With all the things. Part of it’s because I’m often bad at saying “no” and recognizing my own limits, but part of it is because I’m genuinely interested in A LOT of things.

Learn how to make a basket? Sure! Read a thick book about church history? Okay. Learn how to make a fancy dinner? I’m in! Play volleyball with a random group of people on a Sunday night? Great. Start a small business? Yep. Start a crocheting project? Point me to the yarn! Babysit for my best friends? What night? Watch a documentary about something totally random, in another language? Sounds about right. Paint a piece of furniture? Excellent idea. Spend an afternoon making a room look pretty? Sounds like a dream. Take up floral arranging? I love peonies!

Everything is interesting. I want to do it all. All the things.

At one point (in the not-so-distant past) I suddenly realized that though I had quit teaching in order to work a part-time job and explore some creative endeavors, I was not only working a 28-hour job in communications at my church, but also doing some grant-writing for two local STEM non-profit organizations, leading a group of women from church, supporting my husband as he led our small group, doing a little bit of freelance design, contemplating my own creative business, and navigating bookkeeping for a friend’s property company all at the same time. What in the world?!

You know how I got into that situation? I’m curious. I like to explore. I’m creative. I like to try new things. Learning something new is fun.

Until it’s not.

What starts out as a fun side hustle quickly turns into 5 side hustles that totally overwhelm me as a whole. Then I crumble into a hot, teary mess when my husband asks how my day was. That’s when I know it’s time to slow down. Ideally, by this point in my life, I would have learned how to prevent that stage in the first place, right? I’m working on it, but I have yet to master that life skill.

While I have lots to learn and the Lord is sanctifying my controlling, fearful-of-missing-out, over-eager spirit, there’s a piece of this part of me that I think is holy. God is our Creator. He made all the things for us to learn and explore and enjoy. And when I learn and explore and enjoy the world He made, I think He is pleased.

Is anyone else out there intrigued by all the things? How do YOU channel your interests and only say yes to the very best things? Let’s not stop learning and exploring and creating, sisters! But, let’s prayerfully and intentionally pursue the things that bring honor to God as we enjoy them in healthy doses.

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17