Life in The Margins

Have you gone outside the lines?

Even as children we were admonished to “stay within the margins”. Remenber in elementary school when your teacher was quick to remind that you had written, colored, or drew outside the margin?

Interesting how that very basic lesson so many years ago is still applicable to life today. However, we often find ourselves completely outside our established margins.

Recently, how many times have you heard someone say, “where has the day gone?” Chances are you have often voiced the same sentiment.

Margin. We all need it, but what is it?

The unscheduled time that you can use to recharge your batteries or get back on track with your life is known as margin. Being in a rush is no margin, while enjoying a relaxing and calm moment is having margin in your life. In his book, Margin, Dr. Richard Swenson writes that margin is:

“the amount allowed beyond which is needed…the space between breathing freely and suffocating.”

In our lives we require margin. When you aren’t constantly rushing and anxious, you have more time to ponder. It’s time to unwind, to relax, and enjoy life. Stop and remember that God is God.

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the…