Where has the time gone?

Is it March already? I had the realization this week that it has almost been a year since my last post. I could not let the one year mark pass by without blogging again. It is amazing how a little lack of motivation turns into a great deal of time passing. One day you look up and notice an enormous gap in time and wonder where it all went. I recently had one of those realizations.

This year I decided to do something a little different for me. I accepted a position on a tour where I was not the one in charge. I have not been carrying the weight of this tour and felt the stresses and strains that come with great responsibility. I took a position as the tour monitor engineer. At first this was just a wise financial situation. Forty-three guaranteed shows during a time of the year when not many other tours where traveling and work is not very consistent. As the tour got closer I realized this might be a good idea from some other perspectives. Of course it would resharpen my skills as an auto engineer, introduce me to some bands that I have not worked with before, and help me to see things from a working techs view. Little did I know that I would get much more from this tour.

After several weeks of the tour passing I began to notice some changes starting to happen. I began to feel differently. After realizing something else was happening I felt the need to pay closer attention and investigate exactly what I felt was going on. I have felt more relaxed, better rested, not as anxious, less stressed, and more balanced. As I thought about it I realized that I have been working non-stop year round for over seven years now. I am so thankful that God has blessed me with such a great deal of opportunity and work to provide a living for myself, but I did not realize how tiring that can be when you don't take a good deal of time off.

I know it sounds funny to be talking about taking time off when I am on tour, but I believe I am just scratching the surface of balancing my life better. I have taken weeks at a time off before but I think I tend to fill it up with other stuff instead of wisely resting. This has been a great lesson and reminder of the principle of the Sabbath. We all need to find time to turn off all the electronics, block out societies distractions, and seek God. My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. (Psalm 62:1-2) In order to be more effective we need to recharge. It is amazing how far we can go and how much we can push ourselves and not realize how much in need of rest we really are, but thankfully God reminds us and brings us back to His intention for our life.

I have greatly enjoyed this tour and the break that it has afforded me. We only have two more weekends and we are finished and already I am looking forward to taking some time off and just resting. Not filling my life up with so much that I do not rest, and finding balance in life.

If you have made it this far in my post than you are probably wondering what tour I have been on and what it has been like on the road. Instead of using more words to try to describe everything check out the following video link and you should get a good taste. Look for more posts soon.

WINTERJAM 2010