All work and no play
As I write this, I’m sitting at The Feast of Tabernacles, also just called Sukkot. If you aren’t familiar with The Feast of Tabernacles, that’s where Yahweh commanded the children of Israel to live in temporary dwellings for seven days. This is to remind them of the time they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, during which, they dwelt in tents — not houses.
In other words, Yahweh commands us to go on seven-day camping trip every year. Pretty cool, huh? (If you’d like to read it about it, the command for Tabernacles is in Leviticus 23:33-43)
This is one of our favorite holidays at the English house. Not only do we get to hang out with friends and family from all over the country at the camp, but we take time to do some really cool activities.
So far this week, we went bouldering at Rock Town in Walker County. Rock Town is located on Pigeon Mountain, and it features some rather large rocks protruding from the mountain beside a very nice hiking trail. The object of bouldering is to scurry all over the rocks and see what you can see. Parents and kids alike have tons of fun scrambling over the huge rock formations. It’s almost like a play place that Yahweh designed for everyone.
Next, we went to Pettyjohn Cave. This year was a really cool experience there. You see, Ashley and I have gone way down into that cave. When I say way down, I mean we’ve traveled for as long as two hours downward. We’ve been through pancake squeeze, traversed the not-so-dry riverbeds and made it all the way to the waterfall on an unguided tour of Pettyjohn Cave.
What was so cool about this year was we took the kids. Now, we stayed in the top three caverns just to let the kids experience what the cave was like. But they had a blast. It was like Rock Town, but under the ground.
Yesterday, my good friend, Chris Wiley, put together a field day for us. Parents and kids competed in teams of six on obstacle courses, a dizzy devil race, a fireman’s relay and, finally, a scavenger hunt. Medals were won and great memories were made. It was awesome.
We finished the day up with a makeshift drive-in movie, also orchestrated by Chris. We watched cartoons, the first episode of Mine and Ashley’s reality show, “What’s the Deal” and the movie “Facing the Giants.”
While the movie was on, I snuggled with my family in 40-degree temperatures under sleeping bags and kissed Ashley after watching a slow-burning shooting star pass us in the field next to camp.
Ya’ll have no idea how bad my being needed this week.
You see my business coach Gary Harper, with Sharper Business Solutions, recently put up a post that read, “Are you living your purpose, cause and passion?”
And for the first time in a long time, my answer was an emphatic “No!”
I haven’t been enjoying life lately. I have been working long hours, yet not hitting my quarterly goals. When I’m at home, works keeps creeping in. I’ve been being snippy to the kids and not figuring out ways to date my wife. On top of that, the stress of this year has really taken its toll on my body. I’ve been heavy, hurty and just plain out not happy.
At the end of the day, all this stems from losing sight of what my “why” is.
Your “why” is the answer to the question, “Why are you doing what you are doing?”
So why am I investing in real estate? My answer is supposed to be so I can have a lifestyle that gives me the freedom to spend time with my wife and children and lead an amazing life.
Lately I’ve been all work and no play — and that’s caused me to lose sight of my “why” and what’s truly important. I am very grateful for this time spent at the Feast of Tabernacles and how it has recentered me.
I guess that’s why is says in Deuteronomy 6:24 the reason Yahweh tells us to do all these commands, and to fear Him, is to keep us alive. They are for our good always.
Amen!
Joe and Ashley English buy houses and mobile homes in Northwest Georgia. For more information or to ask a question, go to www.cashflowwithjoe.com or call Joe at 678-986-6813.