When I was in college, I got a part time job working at the Banana Republic Outlet in Commerce, GA. I just so happened to be shopping there with my college roommate, and the manager there recruited us. I liked the clothes, wanted the discount, and needed a job, so I thought, “Why not?”

I ended up working for the company for over five years, and before I left, I had worked my way up from part-time sales associate to Associate Manager. I have fond memories of working there, the people I have worked with (many that I still keep up with on FB), and the skills that I still incorporate in my daily life. I can still air fold like a pro!

One of the greatest takeaways that I got from working at Gap (the parent company) was the company philosophy of balance. Retail is a hard job. Actually, any sales-oriented job that is direct customer facing is a hard job, whether it’s clothing, food, or a service. It’s usually thankless, schedules have awkward hours or eat up the weekends/holidays, and no matter what mood you’re personally in, you gotta put on a smiling face to treat the customer right.

But I remember always being told to have balance in the work place. Schedules and hours should be balanced. Holiday hours should be balanced. Work and other aspects of life need to be balanced. There is a such thing of too much of a good thing.

In many ways, I feel like I’m at that junction of trying to figure out what do I need to do to get balanced now. I have picked up duties (i.e. Jazzercise and a new school role) but I haven’t let go of anything. What can I do to juggle all of my time and energy without getting burnt out? Because at the moment, my children are suffering. My house is suffering. My husband… he’s suffering a little bit but not too much, haha. My attitude has been plain, out-right GRUMPY. I know it. I’m aware of it. Question is, “how do I change it?”

Well, easy answer is Jesus. Again, my favorite verse tells me outright, “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God, Christ Jesus in you.” (1 Thess. 5: 17-18). Last night, as I was complaining to my husband about the random issues I’m going through, he looks straight at me and says, “You need Ladies’ Bible Study to start again. You need Jesus.”

Ha! He’s so right. I can’t argue with him.

So that’s my prayer. Lord, help me to endure the race that you have set before me. Help me to figure out what I need to keep and what I need to let go. Help me to have a good attitude in whatever comes my way. Help me to be balanced.

Last week, the husband extraordinaire watched the kids so that I could escape on a girls only trip. I had never done that before since we’ve been married! It was glorious. And even though we were on a vacation, we still had time to Jazzercise it out at the local location in North Myrtle Beach. Whatever exercise regiment you do, when traveling, visit the local location. It’s always fun to see the difference in music choice, movement, clientele… makes you appreciate even more what you got back at home… or be jealous of what they have. Either way, most of the time, you won’t regret it. Here’s a picture of my partner-in-crime Stephanie with the local instructor/owner Debbie. We had a fabulous time.