Bows and Arrows With the many pressures of daily life, it's important that we remember to take time for ourselves to relax and refresh our spirit. The challenges that come our way are many and if we are continually at the breaking point, then sooner or later we are going to collapse and lose the blessing of being at our best. We cannot be so busy that we forget to enjoy the simple pleasures that are all around us. Doing simple things like going for a short walk, playing with your children, reading a book and even sitting alone and committing some extra time in prayer can make a big difference in how your day goes. We must take time for ourselves each day to relax, reflect, and rejuvenate our strength to continue on with a refreshed fervor. If you are having trouble finding time for yourself, then I hope this message ministers to your heart to take a break so that your ability and usefulness will never wear thin. A CHANGE OF PACE According to a Greek legend, in ancient Athens a man noticed the great storyteller Aesop playing childish games with some little boys. He laughed and jeered at Aesop, asking him why he wasted his time in such frivolous activity. Aesop responded by picking up a bow, loosening its string, and placing it on the ground. Then he said to the critical Athenian, "Now, answer the riddle, if you can. Tell us what the unstrung bow tells us." The man looked at it for several moments but had no idea what point Aesop was trying to make. The moralist explained, "If you keep a bow always bent, it will break eventually; but if you let it go slack, it will be more fit for use when you want it." So it is with us. Our minds and bodies are like the bow. When constantly under pressures of everyday life, we can eventually break. We need to loosen up; we need time to take the pressure off and relax. Former baseball pitcher Dutch Leonard might have put it a little differently. He once said that the secret of great pitching is not speed or the ability to throw curves. It's he 'change of pace.' The average batter will soon learn to hit a pitcher who continually throws the same kind of pitch. But it's hard to hit against a pitcher who changes the pace of delivery. That change of pace gives a pitcher the edge over the best of batters. A change of pace likewise gives us an edge in life. Taking time to watch the clouds, enjoy a breeze, take a walk, read or just slow down is necessary if we are to be our best later. And a regular day of rest is as important as regular sleep. It's a way of taking the pressure off. To be your best, make sure you change your pace. It may just be the change you need. By Steve Goodier Take this message as an encouragement to relax your mind and body if you are finding yourself to be at a high stress level. The Lord did not create us to be in constant motion, but wants us to be productive in a normal manner. The Bible says our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and that we are His workmanship. We are to take care of the body that God has entrusted us with and not take it for granted. ~ (1 Cor. 6:19) (Ephesians 2:10) We read in Ecclesiastes that there is a time for every season. A time to work and a time to play, a time to laugh and a time to cry, a time to give and a time to receive. We cannot expect our mind and body to be at optimal working level when we fail to take the time to relax and refresh. ~ (Eccl. 3:1-8) I encourage you again to remember that time is a two-way street. If you invest time in yourself properly, then you will not have to worry about the stresses of life overwhelming you and causing you to not be at your best. Rest in the authority of the Lord and know that He wishes for you to be in good health and that your Joy may be full. ~ (3 John 2) (Hebrews 4:10) Read and meditate on these scriptures: Jesus declares "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus declares "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?" Luke 12:22-24 "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." 3 John 2