{"id":20266,"date":"2026-08-17T16:03:51","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T21:03:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.steveblaising.com\/content\/?p=20266"},"modified":"2026-08-17T16:09:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T21:09:08","slug":"the-joy-of-margin-what-an-early-morning-jet-ski-ride-taught-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.steveblaising.com\/content\/the-joy-of-margin-what-an-early-morning-jet-ski-ride-taught-me\/","title":{"rendered":"The Joy of Margin: What an Early Morning Jet Ski Ride Taught Me"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Walking down to the lake early on a July morning, I feel the joy of margin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I&#8217;m not thinking about meetings or deadlines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just space to see&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the lake.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the birds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the wind.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.steveblaising.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Steve-Blaising-coffee-on-a-jet-ski-morning-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Margin coffee jet ski\" class=\"wp-image-20270\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.steveblaising.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Steve-Blaising-coffee-on-a-jet-ski-morning-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.steveblaising.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Steve-Blaising-coffee-on-a-jet-ski-morning-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.steveblaising.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Steve-Blaising-coffee-on-a-jet-ski-morning-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.steveblaising.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Steve-Blaising-coffee-on-a-jet-ski-morning.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Steve Blaising enjoys early morning coffee on a jet ski, Lake Athens, Texas.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A turtle lifts its head as I ease the jet ski into the calm water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Soon I&#8217;m idling along at four miles an hour, coffee in hand, a camera in the running board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m in no hurry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then it hits me. Margin isn&#8217;t about finding more time. It&#8217;s about protecting time. Margin doesn&#8217;t over-schedule. It sets limits before life sets them for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-margin-preschedules-space\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-black-color\">Margin preschedules space<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This hasn\u2019t always been the case for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In my forties and fifties, it was schedule first and build as fast as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But an overloaded life will miss out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Miss out on the quality, beauty, and joy of relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Margin isn&#8217;t about fitting more into life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s about leaving room for what matters most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Margin makes space for&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>God<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Family<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Friends<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Community<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But how do you pay for this?  How do you finance this perfectly beautiful life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-protect-the-margin\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-black-color\">Protect the Margin<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Margin looks for success, not by raising production, but by cutting costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead of committing to a 120% life, margin preschedules an 80% life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Margin creates and then maintains space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Success today is usually thought of as \u201cfully invested\u201d or \u201cmaximizing potential.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Look at\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>$100,000 pickup trucks.<br><em>A work vehicle now costs as much as many people&#8217;s first house.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>$1 million starter homes.<br><em>Owning a basic home has become unattainable in many communities.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>$8 cups of coffee.<br><em>A simple daily habit has become a luxury purchase.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>$25 hamburgers.<br><em>An ordinary meal now costs what a nice dinner used to cost.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And the result is volatility and exhaustion from overextension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What to do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-weed-your-garden\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-black-color\">Weed Your Garden<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense; thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest\u2014 and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.\u201d<br>\u2014 Pr 24:30-32<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This unweeded garden in this ancient proverb is similar to overloaded lives today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>No margin<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No reserves<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clear limits keep others&#8217; agendas out of our time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That&#8217;s why a stone wall or good boundaries frees us to choose what grows in our vineyard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;No is a complete sentence.&#8221;<br>\u2014 Anne Lamott<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-margin-is-the-key\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-black-color\">Margin is the Key<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As I idled across the water that morning, I realized I wasn&#8217;t enjoying the lake because I owned a jet ski.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I was enjoying it because I had protected the time to be there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The greatest danger in life isn&#8217;t having too little. It&#8217;s having too much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Too many commitments.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Too little margin.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every &#8220;yes&#8221; costs something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Margin teaches us that some of life&#8217;s greatest victories come from saying &#8220;no.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because every wise &#8220;no&#8221; leaves space. Space to connect with our soul, God, and those most important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"What an Early Morning Jet Ski Ride Taught Me About Margin\" width=\"557\" height=\"990\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/O5Zfy3eb7HE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stories like this are part of the reflections I write about life, resilience, and purpose, which you can explore on my <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.steveblaising.com\/content\/about-stephen-blaising\/\"><strong>About Stephen Blaising<\/strong><\/a> page.<\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Walking down to the lake early on a July morning, I feel the joy of margin. I&#8217;m not thinking about meetings or deadlines. Just space to see&#8230; A turtle lifts its head as I ease the jet ski into the calm water. Soon I&#8217;m idling along at four miles an hour, coffee in hand, a [&hellip;]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"cos_headline_score":0,"cos_seo_score":0,"cos_headline_text":"The Joy of Margin: What an Early Morning Jet Ski Ride Taught Me","cos_headline_has_been_analyzed":false,"cos_last_analyzed_headline":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[3778],"tags":[42,2691,3779],"class_list":["post-20266","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-margin","tag-faith","tag-joy","tag-margin"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.0 (Yoast SEO v28.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Joy of Margin: What an Early Morning Jet Ski Ride Taught Me - 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