It isn’t all about me.
Even a few minutes around our family would reveal to a stranger that we have two high functioning extroverts in our ranks. Three enjoy people but recharge alone. And one of us is an introvert who loves the people she knows.
There are moments, I’m learning, that I need to stop inviting people over. Stop encouraging play dates. Stop accepting invites. Much to the extroverts’ shagrin. Much to my shagrin.
Serving my family means that sometimes I’m going to feel a little isolated so that the rest of my family can recharge. Life isn’t all about my wants being met. A life well lived is the one that abandons self, isn’t that the one Christ applauds, and don’t I want that most of all?
And even though it is SUPREMELY difficult for me to say “No” to people (or “NO” to myself), sometimes that is exactly what would make me more like Christ. Because the Lord very rarely speaks directly to my heart when I’m running my mouth. In fact, the most poignant moments I’ve had with my Lord are the ones where I’ve been all alone.
I want my children to have time to hear the Lord speak.
I want my husband to have the free time to head to the woods (alone) to hear the Lord speak to him.
And if I program us with activities every day of the week, we may miss opportunities for growth.
I know this is a two way street. Sometime the introverts need to step out.
I’m sure you’ve heard this or maybe have one, but we are working on a Family Mission Statement as a sort of filter through which every opportunity presented to our family passes. Theoretically, if it doesn’t fit into our well thought out family purpose, no matter how good it sounds, we have to say no to it and yes to margin, yes to living simply. You know me well enough to know this is not MY idea… It’s from http://www.simplemom.net and her book Organized Simplicity. I don’t know – it’s a start anyway, maybe… would love to hear other ideas as well!