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By Betsy Ore Glass

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. – Matthew 6:33 ESV 

I look out my window as I write today and see flowers blowing in the breeze. I love it and am so pleased that good watering and fertilizing have produced amazing flowers and foliage to enjoy. As with anything, it takes a mixture of things, a balance of ingredients to make something good. The sun, the rains, good soil, plant food and proper pruning all play a part in a beautiful end result.

What is balance? It is described as a state of equilibrium; an equal distribution. When things run aground, it is usually because something is out of balance. I have heard it said that we should live daily with these equal parts: prayer, family, work and play. The opposite of that is to be imbalanced. If you spend too much time on one, the others will become neglected and suffer. Think of a garden bench. If one leg was shorter or longer than the others the bench would be lopsided. It would then have little value. Translate that to everyday life. If the student that watches TV after school instead of doing homework doesn’t change, he will lose his footing in class. When the workaholic leaves home early and comes back late, he misses out on family time that cannot be reclaimed and so on. We should work hard and play hard, and not confuse the two!!

There is a true, deep pleasure and residing happiness that comes when things are in harmony. When our hearts are filled with the goodness of the Lord and we stand sheltered by Him, balance is easier to obtain. That is how it was meant to be. God gave many of us the ability to laugh, to have fun, to sing and clap. He gave us a mind so we could apply ourselves in the workplace or at home for the good of our family. He taught us to pray and He has an open door policy! And many of us have loved ones we cherish that bring richness to our life. The key to keeping our balance is knowing when we have lost it, but He can help us find it, if we seek Him and are willing.

Betsy Ore Glass has long-standing ties to the Outer Banks. From Virginia Beach, her family bought a vacation cottage in the 60s and her love of the area began. Later in the 90s, Betsy and her husband bought a weekend cottage and introduced the area to their children. Then Betsy’s parents retired to KDH where the family gathered often. Reach her at betsyglass1@gmail.com or read additional Reflections at www.betsyoreglass.com.

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