Getting All Emo in 2012

***’Notes From Behind The Curtain’ is a weekly thought that I send out to the musicians on my Worship Team.***

Hey Folks,

HAPPY NEW YEAR! OK, technically, it is a little late to say that… but there it is.

The New Year is typically a time when we take a long look at our lives and that can be a very good thing. To evaluate, dream, rehash, re-imagine…

In my somewhat new capacity of working in the local church, the new year brings an opportunity to look at my responsibilities and weigh them against the expectations of the job I fill. So, in the last week I pulled out my official ‘job description’ and was struck by these words under the heading of ‘Expectations’:

Personally, I will strive to live out the Mission/Vision/Values of the church; maintaining spiritual, physical and emotional health…

Now, spiritual health is a bit of a no-brainer. As Christians, this is a must and certainly a place all of us can improve in – but that is not what struck me.

Physical health is also pretty obvious and a pretty common place people evaluate each New Year. A good place to make new habits, but again, not what struck me.

It was that third one that got me – emotional health. We don’t talk about this one much, unless something is wrong. But all of us have it and all of us need to maintain it. You might be surprised to find that the Bible addresses emotional health (as well as the other two). For example:

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
~ Proverbs 17:22

As a creative type, I am never happier than when I am being creative. Unfortunately, even in a job whose focus is to be artistic, duties and schedules and meetings can quietly take all my time and before I know it, I haven’t been creative in months. And it doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to figure out that, for me, my emotional health is tied (in part) to my being artistic, creative, and musical. If I’m crabby, I just need 30 minutes with a guitar. What about you? What are the things that light you up?

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
~ Proverbs 14:30

We, as people, are much more complex than just our jobs and our families and our skills. There are things that interest us and intrigue us that may be a surprise to others. Me? I love trains. I love to ride them, to read about them, to check my Amtrak app and see if they are on time, and to model them. Sometimes I find that when all the ‘obvious’ parts of my life are dry, a little time spent “on the train” can do me a world of good. What about you? Do you have a hobby?

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
~ 1 Corinthians 10:31

So, this year, take care of your Spiritual health and your physical health, yes… but don’t neglect your emotional health…

In His Name We Play…

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