ungrind: July 2009

Editornote

Freedom—it's what the Dictionary points to as "the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints; exemption, immunity from an obligation or duty." It's a word that hasn't appeared much in my vocabulary of late, as I've spent hour upon hour in front of my computer screen working on freelance editing projects, weighed down by obligation and duty.

Sigh.

While there's nothing wrong with obligation and duty—in fact, responsibility and work are good things—the last two months have brought with them more than I can easily swallow. Not that anyone is to blame for that other than myself. I simply took on too much work. The result—overcommitment.

The positive aspect of this not-so-positive feeling named "overwhelmed" is that it brings with it a helpful reminder: the importance of scaling back. It sheds beautiful light on the freedom that follows the often difficult words to utter, "No, I'm sorry I can't take on another project right now."

Freedom. It's a concept I hope to experience more of as I slowly whittle down my pile of work.

In the meantime, as I continue to forge ahead busier than I'd prefer, I hope to learn all I can about freedom as we explore it this month on Ungrind. We'll chat about freedom in Christ, the pull of materialism, what's called a "married crush," letting go of bitterness, embracing God-given roles, and the problem with condemnation.

Until next month's e-note, keep up-to-date with me and regular contributors Amy Storms, Arlene Pellicane, Lynette Kittle, and Christina Holder at our blog, Fresh Brew. We'd love to have you stop by and join the conversation there!

Ash