Gluttons For Punishment?

Your kindness will reward you,
    but your cruelty will destroy you.

Proverbs 11:17 

 

Are you a driven person?  Are you the type who simply will not stop until the job is finished, regardless the cost?  Are you among those who willingly sacrifice everything, including your family and your own health, to get the job done?  Do you push yourself without letting up?  Do you find yourself anxious, frustrated, irritated, and even angry by things you cannot control?

 

You see, we ALL are like that to some degree.  We ALL have things we want to accomplish.  We ALL have dreams and goals.  We ALL push ourselves, at times, beyond the point of being healthy.

 

I was recently reminded, rather unkindly, by one of our volunteer Chaplains, who shall remain anonymous (but it "not" Chris Hutnyak), that I'm not as young as I used to be.  This Chaplain even told me that he was glad to know someone who was there when the Ark was built.  After my heart started again, I realized that he was right.  You see, I had allowed the Chaplaincy to take over my life, and I needed to be reminded that it's okay to take a vacation to prevent burnout.  Still not thrilled with the whole "there when the Ark was built" comment, but that's another point for another day.

 

How can we take care of others if we don't take care of ourselves?  We treat others with kindness, yet we punish ourselves by not stopping to take a breath or a break.  And being cruel to ourselves WILL destroy us!  How do I know?  I've already had one quadruple bypass surgery....because I didn't take time to unwind and relax and take better care of myself.

 

I heard a proverb, but I can't remember where (no cracks about age please) that said, "The unmended bucket is of no use to anyone."  Take time to take care of yourself!