> Practical Family Living

There is a reserve in us as that operates like a water jar. A water jar might be unfamiliar to you. It is something filled for the purpose of drinking and cooking found in many countries today or in earlier times in the west. In modern times in our culture, a large Igloo brand container of water found at a football game or a camping trip might be more familiar.

When the water source is full and replenished often, we can go to it and quench our thirst freely. Think of your favorite fresh cold water source on a hot day. There is nothing better than a drink of water after working or playing hard. When our personal energy is drained, we are like an empty water jar. We must find a way to replenish ourselves.

Often we and our families have seasons of working and playing hard. Examples of this are preparing for a wedding or a family reunion. Late fall and December brings visiting, different foods, people and sleep habits changing. These events tap of our emotional reserve much like draining a cold water source on a hot day.

Where can we find good sources for emotional energy replenishment? Some people have shared a few of their "refreshers" with me and I share them with you for any season of activity in which you find yourself.

*Prayer time in the morning before things start is the best refresher for any day.

*Take a time out. Go to a quiet place if only for a few moments. Even a trip to the bathroom for a few minutes can give a busy host or hostess a break. For a real time out, find a prayer place where you can share with God precisely what you need at the time. People who give and give sometimes neglect asking God for what they need.

*In a kind but firm way, tell loved ones, who might be complaining or asking something of you at a time when you are overwhelmed: "This is not a good time. We can come back to this later."

*Ask yourself when worrying about "the next thing" if this thing will matter in one month or five years.

*You may ask yourself or loved ones for a "do over." If things start to slide downhill in a conversation, plan, or activity, declare a "Do Over." Let's stop,(if applicable) pray, and begin again.

*Remember, it takes courage to be imperfect! It is the effort and relationship people remember, not perfection.

*Drink in the water Jesus offers as in the woman at the well in John, Chapter four.