Tony, I can't speak for everyone, but I know what I understand about God's priorities and the balance that needs to be in everyone's lives. Obviously, we must place our personal relationship with God first, but then we must place our relationship with our family second, then somewhere after these two comes whatever ministry God has given us. All you need to do is take a look at what happens with the priest Eli in 1 Samuel to understand what God thinks about sacrificing family on the altar of ministry. My heart goes out to the families of any leader (RR or other) that will spend as much time away from them as your e-mail indicates some are. I can speak from experience that my ministry, my family, and my life overall always suffered when I got these priorities out of whack, but God always blessed my ministry when I kept the priorities in sync, and He always will. I've always taught in LTC, and any other appropriate training forum, these particular priorities and warned leaders not to get so wrapped up in their ministry that they neglected their families. Mostly I found this to be important to teach to RR leaders because I witnessed so many getting things out of whack, then either losing their families, or just getting so burnt out they left RR for other reasons. In either event they lost the very ministry they were so gung ho for. The key here is balance. The Bible teaches us to observe balance in all facets of our lives. If we spend so much time in Bible study and prayer that we neglect our families, or don't have time for ministry, then we're out of balance, and so on, and so on,.... Balance, and what that balance constitutes is between you, God, and your family. Just always be on the watch not to tip the scales too far in any one direction. Personally, I think the very fact that you are this sensitive to the situation means you realize its importance and are open to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Don't pick up the burdens others try to place on you. Make sure that what you are doing is honorable to God, and to your family, before you do it. Anything less is a direct violation of all that the Royal Ranger Code, Pledge, and Motto stand for, and is the wrong testimony to the very boys you are trying to witness to. Show them how a "real man", a man of God, lives his life. That's how we truly witness to these boys. My apologies for going on so long about this, but it has always been a major concern of mine, and one that I've worked hard to help all of the leaders I've come in contact with to understand fully. I praise God that my parents, that worked full-time, taught Sunday School, worked in Boy Scouts, and raised three kids, always seemed to find time for us, so that we never felt neglected, a little smothered sometimes, but never neglected. They helped me understand what "balance" in the Christian walk is all about. The funny thing is that if you ask anyone that knows them they will tell that they were, and are, some of the busiest people they've ever known. In His Service, Ed Taylor - Crazy Cougar Still chillin' in South Texas _______ To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rangernet" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Eat the hay & spit out the sticks!" RTKB&G4JC! Autoresponder: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://rangernet.org
