Alva Review-Courier -

We had been traveling non-stop for three straight weeks. It had been one different bed after another – and Renie is simply not someone who deals well with that scenario. Even though the work trip had also afforded us a fun chance to visit some cousins who live in the areas where we had gone, it still meant days of driving for long hours, eating at restaurants and fast-food chains, and attempting to catch a nap while the other one drove.

And after arriving, often we still had to set up equipment, set sound, and then sing and speak intelligibly to the crowd that had graciously come to be with us that evening. Then pack it all up and climb into another strange bed that night. All of this was fun and fairly easy – until Renie hit a wall. A wall built from a couple of weeks of stress, muscles aches, lack of real sleep, little exercise, and consumption of fast-food that, umm, shall we say – doesn’t always meet the most nutritional standards.

Now, don’t read me wrong. We love what we do. But folks, enough was enough.

Renie knew she was beginning to slide down a slippery slope of exhaustion, but there didn’t seem to be a time to just say, “Stop, I’m just DONE.” Until, one evening at the home of Andy’s cousin, she found herself feeling like all her bones had turned to soup, and her neck wouldn’t quite support the weight of her head. That night, “Stop, I’m just done,” became a reality. Thankfully, we actually had about forty-eight hours to do absolutely nothing … so she did. But even after that brief rest, when Andy told her about a fairly heavy decision that had to be made for the future, he was met with dulled thinking, confusion, and disinterest, not exactly the input he was needing.

Now, we’ve had three straight days of a familiar-feeling mattress, healthy eating choices, daily walks in our own neighborhood and no traveling stress … we’re home. And granted, she may never be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but at least Renie can think clearly. And that decision that loomed so gigantically a few days ago? Trusting God to guide us sure seems easier.

Word to the wise, and the tired, who are reading this; be vewwy, vewwy careful of attempting to force yourself too far and then trying to make big decisions. There are several reasons:

• Making life-changing choices without mental energy is not intelligent.

• Feeling physically drained can cause you to procrastinate.

• Discouraging your co-worker by your lack of interest can hurt your work, and your relationship.

Absolutely refuse to let yourself get suckered into making big, long-reaching choices when you are too exhausted to be sharp-thinking, energetic, and enthusiastic.

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Announcement: Our new book, “Don’t Plant Peas and Expect Spaghetti” is now available! Find it online at coffeetimewithandyandrenie, or email to [email protected], or come see us speaking and singing in person!