Make Time For Love: 31 Days of Intentional Living

It's finally quiet when I nestle into my favorite spot on the couch. The end of a long day and the kids are tucked into their beds for the night.

Amidst the stillness a rolodex spins in my head, not of names, but of things I did and didn't do today. Mentally shifting cards around trying to fit each one into my day, my life.

I am exhausted.

Some weeks the days fade into each other and the days are like a race to the finish.

The schedule is full and I find myself fitting things in to an already hectic routine. And I wonder how I can make it all work without burning out.

There is a part of me that wants to wipe the schedule clean, start over. Because I make time for sports and lessons and meetings, but this filled up calendar is missing something and I feel the tug of it deep.

When I'm worn out and overbooked there is little time for relationship. When it's lacking, I understand why I was made for it.

Some days the busy protects me. Because relationships can be exhausting and time consuming and occasionally, inconvenient. And sometimes there are hurts and scars you would rather not have to deal with. Relationships can be so complicated and hard to navigate, so I keep my eyes tight to the schedule or the smart phone or the "to do" list. It just seems easier.

But I hear a whisper nudging me — make time for love.

Carve out time to spend with people, to catch up, to encourage each other, and to re-connect. Send a note to a friend you haven't talked to in awhile. Reach out to a friend you know is hurting. Find a babysitter and go on a date with your husband. Build LEGOs with your son or color with your daughter.

In some ways reaching out and loving others is really about loving yourself. Making time for love, in whatever form that may take for you, is part of intentional living.

What distracts you from spending time or reaching out to others?

How could you be more intentional about making time for relationships?

This is a post in a series called, 31 days of Intentional Living. You can find all the posts in this series here, updated each day in October. Category: Inspirational & Faith