Love this post... As an introvert, I have no problem at all spending a great deal of time at home alone, working from my desk as an editor. But I also teach seven-hour seminars a few times each month to a crowd of strangers--and that's a whole different ball game. I truly enjoy it and I don't have any trouble interacting with my students, but as soon as it's over I spend the entire evening in quiet in order to "recover." I think the trick for me when it comes to doing seminars (or dealing with big crowds of people during ministry) is to tap into my love for people. I find them fascinating and funny and wonderful, and this sort of energizes me even though I can't handle huge doses days after day! It allows me to plunge into the moment knowing that I'll take the time later to regroup on my own during a jog, at home, etc.

Thanks Ron, this truth is so vital! If pastors protected their Sabbaths at all costs, they'd be blown away by the results. As you know I'm not a full-time pastor, but between my business and Manna Cafe, I always work a solid six days a week. I've discovered that if I'm not finding time to take a Sabbath, it's because I'm not taking a Sabbath. What I mean is that this is something I have to do first, pretty much on faith and in spite of all the responsibilities that are trying to pull me away; only then does my time start opening up: I become more efficient during the coming week... or if I've got too much on my schedule, an event will be cancelled... or I'll be extra-creative so that a project comes together in 3 hours when I know it should have taken 8... or my energy level will be out the roof so that I can handle things without becoming overwhelmed. I suppose God is using the Sabbath issue to stretch my faith: "Do this first, and then see what happens when you trust Me."

I really needed this. I'm a prolific writer, but I almost never hit the Publish button because I'm also a perfectionist. I'll write a draft, then walk away from it, knowing it's not perfect and there are probably typos (and that's unacceptable for an editor like me, cause after all a potential client might read it, right?)--and later on I'll tweak it and "fix" it until I don't even like it anymore. How does one get past perfectionism?

Awesome post! I'm a clocker rocker. If I could live a long life and fit into my fav jeans by eating Twinkies, I'd do it. But I love my run and really get into it --as long as I have my iPod. If I forget my iPod, I turn around and go back home.