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Tackling Transitions by Playing Together




In Genesis 2:22, God himself demonstrates the importance of finding a balance between work and rest.

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.

Without a doubt, work is important in this life. Work provides for the people we love as it gives expression to the purposes for which we were created. A good work ethic helps in the inevitable transitions of life because most of these significant changes usher in new responsibilities that challenge our schedules and force new growth.

As we have mentioned, the most recent transition in our lives has been a physical move to provide help for my (Bill) aging parents. I am creating new memories with my parents that I will cherish for the rest of my life but we have also picked up a new list of tasks. We are running new errands, attending new doctor appointments, engaging in new first aid tasks and solving new problems. If we are not intentional, the work will overwhelm our schedule making life feel like it is only work.

That is one of the reasons God intentionally inserted rest into the weekly schedule. He wasn’t tired because He is all-powerful. He wasn’t stressed because He is all wise. He wasn’t overwhelmed because He is all-knowing. He simply understands that life works best when it is balanced. In between the transitions of life, it is relatively easy to keep the balance between responsible time and free time. When life ramps up, however, the time to relax tends to get squeezed out.

As a result, one of the most effective ways to stay connected through the intense changes of life is to make it a habit to play together. In the midst of our transitions, new opportunities rise up to create memories and be active together. They are harder to see, however, because they are surrounded by new tasks.

For us, this season has brought about a series of new memories we don’t think we would experience any other way. For the first time in our life, we get in a kayak to pick up our mail. We could easily convince ourselves we are too busy to get on the water but it is actually more efficient for us to row to the mailbox than to drive. We laugh often when we are joined by sea lions on the trek. Being escorted to the mailbox by a “barking” sea dog is not something we ever experienced on land! Our boat also faces a community park that hosts open-air concerts on Summer Saturdays. We never heard concerts from the deck of our home but now when we are “home” on Saturday, we will take a break in the afternoon to enjoy the performance from the deck of the boat. It is a fun interruption to the new “job” of caring for my parents.

The big transitions of life are seldom simple and easy so they can easily steal the fun that maintains balance. Don’t be afraid to work hard to navigate the next transition of your life but don’t miss the opportunities to “rest” that accompany every season of adjustment.

Join us live on Thursday, June 28 at 6:06 pm PST for the next episode of TACKLING TRANSITIONS: TRIALS TO TRIUMPHS, on our Bill and Pam Farrel Facebook page

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