I don't think that anyone can argue that it is extremely hot right now in Orlando, Florida.  In my opinion, miserably hot!   How to stay clear of heat exhaustion during this time is all over the news.  Recently in the Orlando Sentinel I came across an article that was talking about athletes, both High School and College, going back to practice for their respective fall sports.  In it they stressed the importance of water and coaches paying attention and taking the time for their players to rest in the heat.  I began to think about this.  It dawned on me that our “souls” are similar.  They need nourishing especially when things are "hot". Whether it be a hardship in our marriage, your kids, or any other relationship, things can make us "hot", or angry.  Just like a time out in practices for fall sports in order to hydrate, we need time out for our souls to hydrate.  

So what is the purpose of time out for the soul?  It helps us cool down.  Take inventory of our emotions so that when we deal with a "hot" situation we have the composure to do it without "losing it" so to speak. The important thing to remember is that anger is usually a response to not being heard or understood. We often, mistakenly so, assume that the louder we get the more we will be heard. The opposite is actually truer. The louder we get, the less we are heard.  

As we are in a time of transition with kids going back to school, our economy all over the place, and a million other things, I encourage you to take inventory of the "heat" in your soul.  Take time to attend to it.  It can only help you and the relationships around you.  

Melissa