#healthypastor - Play

   It doesn't matter what age you are, we all need times and places to play. When I think about playing, I think about doing the things that I find enjoyment in. These things change with time.
   I've been thinking a lot recently about Sunday evenings when I was younger. We would throw frisbees around our yard as bases and would play a game of kickball. Or go for a walk to Dairy Queen. Or play badminton. We played together as a family, and those times were so special to me.
   In college, we would have movie nights. Or plan adventures.
   Currently, I am single, which means a lot of what I consider to be times of play are things I enjoy doing alone. Playing with my pet chinchilla. Reading fiction. Working on sewing projects. Taking hikes in the local parks.
   What is a fun time of play is different for each of us, but what is important is that is not work. Yes, you can enjoy your work and find it fun, but you still need times to be separate from work. A time to simply act like a kid again or play with your kids or find a hobby.
   For years I have worked with college students in Bible studies. I was sharing with one mom of a high schooler recently that what I see more and more colleges looking for are well balanced students - not simply someone who excels at one thing, but a whole person. Pastors we need to learn how to be whole people again, how to be well rounded with interests and hobbies that extend beyond the local church so that we can be the healthiest pastors possible.