serving strong

Thought I would share my Tuesday newsletter Serving E Strong.

Lemon Fresh Self Care

Lemon tree
One of my clients lives in Florida. He told me of a lemon tree his neighbor used to maintain. The branches extended over the property lines. The neighbor shared the fruit, allowing my client permission to pick lemons right off the tree and make some wonderful lemonade (you can't get much fresher than lemons right from the source!)
That's the good news. The bad news: lemons unpicked fall to the ground and rot. The rotted fruit attracted rats. Rats, as you would expect, create quite a problem for the inhabitants around the tree (which was ultimately cut down.)

PICK YOUR SELF-CARE

Lemons are like opportunities for self care. If ignored the opportunities expire and fall away to rot. Rotted, unused self care attracts despair, depression and disillusionment. We must take advantage of the opportunities God places in our path to rest, recreate and renew. This doesn't happen automatically. We must be intentional about our self care. Don't have time to enjoy some "lemonade"? Think again. This kind of fruit is essential to remaining and finishing strong.

* What opportunities has God given to "sharpen your saw"?
* Where do you go to rest, recreate, renew?
* Who has God placed in your journey to help you rest?
* What do you read to take care of yourself?
* What are your hobbies?

Some think that any talk of self care is a hedonistic avoidance of staying on task to work done. True, if taken too far, self care CAN become selfish. Just remember - everything in moderation. Also remember - we don't rest from our work. We work from our rest.