Superman

Over the past year, many changes have taken place. I have been consumed with daily challenges that have required more energy than I thought was humanly possible. My wife sometimes says that I think I'm Superman. "I don't need you to be Superman," she says. I'm over ambitious, passionate about achieving results, and relish in a job well done. The problem comes when I take on too many causes. Superman could hear the cries of countless people; however, he could only chose one problem at a time. Did Superman ever take a nap or take a day off?

This year has taught me that no matter how super I think I can be, I cannot forget to take care of myself. Helping professions predispose us to help others at our own expense. It's easy to hear the cries of countless people and forget to rest. It is no secret, firefighters, police, and medics are sleep deprived, juggling numerous responsibilities, and faced with challenges that are life altering day in and day out. You could say that "burn-out" is our kryptonite. It's time for each of us to take a minute, examine our lives, and ensure we are taking care of ourselves. After all, Superman is fake and we have a job to do.



http://firefighterchaplain.blogspot.com

Imagine

Imagine what life would be like if we took time off from everything with regularity. 

When is the last time you rested? I struggle to take one day off per week, yet when I do I find that when I return to my daily duties, I am re-energized and ready to carry on one more week. Imagine if we rested...

We know what it's like not to rest; business 24/7, no time for people, sleep, our relationship with the Ultimate Chief--we've got too much to do. 

Let's make it a priority to say no, no again, and no again, to the business that tries to drain our lives of the freshness that rest brings. Imagine if we rested...

Rest

Today was a normal day of cleaning the firehouse, doing homework, and "living the dream;" well, sort of. I haven't blogged in a bit because I have been practicing rest. I say practice because it's a new thing to me. Being the adrenaline junkie that I am, I like to be on the go all the time. Firefighters, Police officers, EMS workers, and military personnel all know that in order to do our jobs, we have to keep moving. This is all fine and dandy when we're at work and "doing our thing" but when the sun goes down and everyone else slows down do you? We need to take care of ourselves. Time away is a good thing. I'll be X-country skiing tomorrow in a foot of brand new powder and practicing active rest. It will be good to get out into the country and away from cars, accidents, the firehouse, and school. How do you rest?