““Don’t over do it!” Over the past few weeks I have heard this familiar phrase from many who love and care for me. When I started thinking about it, I found myself entering one of those 'more questions than answers' zones!! How do I know when I am about to…”over do it”? Where is the boundary between “under" (is there such a thing?) and “over” doing it?

Last Friday I think I experienced the consequences of “over doing it”. I was looking forward to going to my friend Josh Howeth’s graduation from Seminary (Congratulations Josh!!) but found myself in considerable discomfort when I came home from the office. Maggie and I decided that it would not be wise to go. Now how do I know that I overdid it or if the cause was something entirely different? Can you only recognize this phenomenon as you look in the rear-view mirror as you travel through the uncomfortable “ I overdid it “territory?

Whatever the answer to these perplexing matters, I was reminded that, although I don’t understand the vagaries of such things, someone else does! I confess I lay in bed on Friday wondering if I should cancel the leadership seminar I was to take on Saturday and (almost unthinkably!) find a substitute preacher for Sunday. However, God clearly had other ideas and I awoke on Saturday ready to teach the seminar and I was able to play a full part in Sunday’s service.

On Sunday afternoon I wondered if I was once again approaching the “unknowable line” of over doing it, but I am just glad that even in the land of the unknowable, I am in the hands of One to whom nothing is unknown!