Use the following chart to briefly assess what constitutes "normal" in your life right now.. For each area of life, consider attitudes as well as behaviors. How do you typically think, feel and act in this area? Areas include:
- Pace of Life (flexibility, scheduling, levels of fatigue or rest)
- Personal Finances (earning, giving, saving, spending, debt)
- Relationships (family members, friends, colleagues, neighbors)
- Marriage/Dating/Sexuality (intimacy, connection, affirmation, communication, commitment, integrity)
- Spiritual Life (desire for God, practice of spiritual disciplines - prayer, solitude, journaling, etc. - growth in love of God and others
- Other
I'll start with one of ours by talking about personal finances. We're starting a new normal by living on one income, so it will be an adjustment. I've got a set budget, though somewhat loose. We still tithe 10% to the church, and also support our friends' ministry in Africa. Debt for us includes our mortgage and my student loans. I'm hopeful that while reducing our income, we'll still be able to save the same amount each month we always have, and make adjustments elsewhere. On two incomes, we were able to save about 1/3 of our take home pay. Now with one income, it'd be a little less than half. Do you suppose this is "normal" for our culture? I like to think we're ahead of the curve in this area :-) On the other hand, doesn't having a mortgage and students loans seem completely normal to our society? Wouldn't it be weird and so awesome if we didn't have those debts!
Pick one of the areas you've reflected on and would be willing to share in the comments below.
Scott and I would like to comment on Pace of Life... We kind of differ in this area a little but it seems to work for us.
ReplyDeleteScott works full time which keeps him busy during the day but only is committed 1-2 nights a week with "outside" activities. On Tuesday nights he plays basketball and that usually takes up the whole evening and then every other Wednesday he helps with "security" at church. Scott enjoys what he is doing right now and thinks keeping his schedule mostly open allows him time to relax and recoup.
I am far busier but for some "crazy" reason I like it. Besides working full time, I coach on Monday evenings, goes to basketball with Scott in Lincoln on Tuesdays, do AWANA every other Wednesday and coach Saturday's as well. Some weekends I have meets where I need to travel and we are in meet season right now. I like to keep myself busy and find that when I have a schedule and a routine I function far better. I do not like to sit around the house very often.
Scott and I take time to have "date night" usually every friday night. There have been a few exceptions every now and again. I think we have a good understanding of how each of us differs in pace of life and we have made it work in our house.