We buried a fellow co-laborer in Christ today. He died as a result of a tragic car accident. Suddenly his life as we knew it, gone. Suddenly, a wife no longer has an earthly husband; two daughters no longer have an earthly father. As I sat and watched the family demonstrate oodles and strength and reserve as they laid their loved one to rest, I was struck by the certainty of death and the shortness of life.

I was moved to rethink the way that I've structured my life. I spend what seems like endless hours working. Sometimes, I work so much that I lift up my head and so much time has passed me by. And, while I gain something from my work, I lose something too.

I lose time that I could have spent with my family and friends. Life is so fleeting. We all have an appointment with our Lord that we must keep. And while we cannot change our appointment time, we can change what we do while we are waiting. I challenge you to take a moment to evaluate the way you spend your time. Check to see if you really have a good work-life balance. If you are out of balance, like me, pray for direction from our Lord to get back into alignment. It's worth the effort. I believe that the family today could show strength for a number of reasons but I have narrowed it down to two: #1, they know and trust God but also #2, they spent time together - they had a great family life and my departed brother knew the importance of work-life balance. If we could all be so wise.