It happened again. The washing machine created a cacophony in the laundry room because it was lurching as it spun the clothes after the wash cycle. This could only mean that it was overloaded. That meant that I had to stop what I was doing and adjust the clothes in the machine so that the load would be more balanced. It could have all been prevented, of course, by not putting so many dirty clothes into one cycle.

A washing machine is not meant to work overloaded. Too often in our lives, we act as if overload is normal, as if that is what was expected of us. Maybe to save face we say “yes” to something that might have been good on its own merits, but is just too much for our busied, hurried schedules. We just don’t allow enough margin in our day. When that happens, a light goes off in our mind about how exhausted we are and how much we wish we had some rest.

Adoption makes this even more complicated. Our children have legitimate needs, and yet we feel strained to meet them all. Children especially equate love with TIME. However, the pressures of daily living and work go on. How do we balance these competing demands? It was easier in an agricultural setting, where the children were expected to be with the parents working in the farm or garden during the day. But the demands of cell phones and computers have created an environment where no one is willing to wait.

Just as the washing machine needed to be rebalanced, we need to take time to rebalance our lives. Part of this involves reflection at the beginning and end of each day. That is why spending time in God’s Word becomes critical, because it causes us to refocus on what is important. As we meditate on it and seek to apply it, we are challenged with our way of living. Of course, prayer is also essential to know God’s will for each day.

Are you willing to allow God to readjust your life before it breaks like an overloaded washing machine? Can we adjust by not taking on as many demands in our daily lives as seem to present themselves as “urgent”? Ask God to give you the wisdom that you need to get through your day (Proverbs 3:5-6).