Life Balance.

I was watching the Oprah show the other day. Faith Hill and Tim McGraw were her featured guests. I knew it would be a good show. I saw Faith and Tim in concert about 6 years ago (October 7, 2000 -- Ha! I still know the date), and I remember spending the entire time they performed together that night with goosebumps on my arms and back. Simply because the love they have for each other is palpable and it comes through in everything they do.

It was the same on the Oprah show, or maybe it has even grown? Their body language was masterful, always leaning toward the other. Listening for words not spoken. Constantly being in touch with each other, a hand on the knee here, a touch to the arm there. A smile, a look, a twinkle in the eye. The laughter was non-stop. Yet, there were times when either Faith or Tim would start to speak and then stop to let the other talk, respectful that it was his story or her story. It seemed they were hearing a language that was all their own. People say "communication" is the key to a successful marriage but miss realizing that communication goes far deeper than just words.

Seeing Tim and Faith together like that made me think about marriage. And, marriage always makes me think about my relationship with God. How often do I take the time to get to know Him, so that I can innately hear what He is telling me. How often do I get focused on what God is doing for me instead of focusing on God himself. Doesn't it make sense that the more I know God, the better I'll be able to understand him? Like being in tune to His body language.

I got a new job. I start this Friday. On their list of goals for their employees is "life balance". All the employees I've spoken to during my interviews have said that means the company wants them to be excited to come to work but also to be excited to go home. I know that one of the executives I'll be supporting works with his church youth group. I'm hoping that this job is God's answer to my prayers -- it seems like it is the way things are falling together it makes me believe that it can only be something that God is putting together.

One of the key things for me that Faith and Tim said on the Oprah show was, "It really is all about God, it's about family and it's about hard work." It's not a new statement, I've heard it before, I've even written it before. But, really, in precisely that order -- God, family and work -- I so badly want that to be my new going forward mode of operation.