Reflection TIME

God must REALLY want me to listen to this whole time thing...


After I posted a few weeks ago about looking at how we spend our time, I went back through some of the emails I hadn't read and came across the one below from Internet Cafe' Devotions.  I found this devotion as a great follow-up to applying the whole concept of looking at how we spend out time.  Check it out!

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A Summertime Re-Prioritization Guide Posted: 01 Jun 2012 10:15 PM PDT Stop, Look and Listen A summertime re-prioritization guide Stop! For many of us summer is a time to re-group and re-focus but let’s be honest for a minute, what often happens is that summer slips away and all too soon and the leaves begin to change, temperatures cool, Christmas arrives just around the corner faster than we can say “sunscreen,” and we’re back to making New Year’s Resolutions! What if we took the summer to pause mid-year to prayerfully see where we’ve been and where we’re headed? Summertime is a perfect time in the year to re-prioritze and reflect on where and how this year is going in your life. Pausing mid year to evaluate is a perfect way to assess life; the perfect time of year to “Stop, Look & Listen.” It just may be the re-prioritization you need to begin the second half of 2012 refreshed and renewed, there is no need to wait unitl January! Here’s how to begin: Write down each and everything that fills your day. (ALL of it! No cheating! I KNOW how tempting it can be! Include Household duties, commitments and ministries at church, outside and part time jobs and ANY other commitments that you regularly schedule into your week. This INCLUDES blogging, and social networking ladies!) It will also help to include HOW MUCH time a week or month is dedicated to these activities. There may be several ministries or groups that you belong to or participate in, include them each as a separate category in order to see later which ones need another look. DAILY ACTIVITIES & MINISTRIES: WEEKLY ACTIVITIES & MINISTRIES: MONTHLY ACTIVITIES & MINISTRIES: Look! This will be the most challenging part of the process for most women. It’s where we make a list of exactly WHAT we do and prioritize it. Making sections; MUST DO and ENJOY DOING can help begin to break down the process. MUST DO: ENJOY DOING: There are certain activities that will remain on the list until the END of time, but others may have to be “let go” of for a season. This may take days or weeks to compose this LOOK list, but it’s critical in coming to an understanding of who we are, what our gifts are and what we can and cannot accomplish. What items on your list did not make it into the MUST DO or the ENJOY DOING category? Those are the ones that need a second look. Are some of these draining you from time that you truly need to be spending on other areas of your life. As women we often REFUSE to say no. Saying no for a season does not mean saying “NO” forever. “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1, NKJV I encourage you to truly meditate on this verse, soak it in and begin to allow God to guide you in which items on your list need to be released. Listen! Be truly still. Being truly still is a challenge for many of us. It is what has led us to this “superhighway!” In order to get back on the peaceful long and winding road, we’ve got to be willing to LISTEN. Spend some time meditating on these Scriptures and ask God to reveal to you which activities or ministries need to be re-prioritized or even let go. It may be painful, but making a choice to re-prioritize now will help your household as you move into the fall. As you feel God guiding your heart, journal which activities, ministries or commitments you hear HIM speaking to you about. Be aware, God often does not use the words we are used to….pay attention, HE often speaks through others, and in HIS time. Be patient. Commit to using the summer to reflect on how to make changes in your life that WILL affect those you love and care for! Scriptures for Meditating on Priorities: “Lord, Remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered- how fleeting my life is.” (Psalm 39:4, NLT) “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33, NKJV) “But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will fly soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31, NLT) “You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.” (Psalm 139:3, NLT) If you'd like to download your own Re-prioritizan list, click on https://acrobat.com/app.html#d=wRRn-MXwQbahOp6irC7XVQ You can find more devotions like this one at www.internetcafedevotions.com.  So how are you doing on your TIME Challenge?  I'm happy to report I've been doing really well, but it's taken a lot of discipline and prayer to keep it going in that direction.  Have a blessed Fourth of July!  Untill next time - God Bless!  Break of Dawn

Time

It all started a few weeks ago in my adult Bible study class…  We were talking about spending time with the Lord and spending time each day, week, month and year resting so we could work from our rest and not rest from our work.  I was so impacted that I even posted about the topic (see May 6th, 2012). The Lord spoke to me that day on two levels:  What am I doing with my time and am I resting enough?  Our assignment for the class was to schedule moments in our planners (daily, weekly, monthly and yearly) to spend time with the Lord and to rest.  I had really good intentions and somewhat wrote in my planner for the first week, but now I have to admit I’m failing miserably in both areas.

But, God isn’t going to let me forget!  This week I received my MOPS group’s newsletter and guess what the devotion was about?  Spending time with our children…

“Quantity or Quality Time”

Spending time with your children is vital to their well-being and self-esteem.  Providing for your children includes meeting their emotional needs, not just their physical needs.  When you’re an ACTIVE part of your children’s lives, you get to shape them.  Spending just a few hours every week with your children may not be enough time to teach them everything you want them to know.  Deuteronomy 11:19 states: “Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up”.  Evaluate the time you spend with your children with these questions:

-Does my child’s behavior suggest that he/she could use more “mommy time”?

-Do I spend time with my children doing special activities (playing, talking, going places together) or doing mundane tasks (cleaning, errands)?

-Do I know who my child’s best friend is?

-What does my child like on his/her hamburger or what is his/her favorite food?

-How does my child behave at school?

-Who is the primary influence in my child’s life?  Is it me…or a daycare provider or nanny?

-Is the time I spend with my child enough for my child (and not just my own preferences to do what I want)?

And it didn’t stop there!  On May 30^th, the “WOF Daily” was about – you guessed it – TIME!

Making The Time Posted Wednesday, May 30, 2012 by Women of Faith

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Ephesians 5:15-17 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. So, I'm sitting here with my husband trying to determine the next topic for this series on studying. But I just can't seem to put down my phone or close the internet to work on it. There are just so many facebook statuses, pictures, and notes. There are also tweets and blogs to "study". So I decided that's my topic — we have to start saying no to these endless distractions. Please don't get me wrong as there are times where our new social media can be a tool for reaching a lost world. But at what point are we not "making the most of every opportunity"? When does a "tool" or "medium" become foolish, wasteful, and evil? The context of these verses about being idle follow verses on exposing what we do to the light. Would I want everyone I know seeing the amount of time I waste on my phone and computer? Please join me in turning off our distractions and instead spend time in understanding the Lord's will for our lives. And I may just tape the word STOP on the top of my computer. Dr. Beth Ackerman is the Associate Dean, School of Education, at Liberty University

There are 365 days in a year, 24 hours in a day.  In those 24 hours, most likely you’re sleeping 8 of them.  That leaves 16 hours or 960 minutes (57,600 seconds) for you to do something with.  What are you doing with your time?  Are you sitting at the computer?  Are you watching T.V.?  How much quality time are you spending with your kids and husband?  Most importantly, how much time are you spending with the Lord? 

Will you take a TIME Challenge with me?  Let’s pray God shows us how to use our allotted time on this earth the way He wants us to.  Start each day with 15-30 minutes of quiet time in the Word and praying.  Schedule in little breaks in between all of the mundane tasks to connect with your kids.  Remember to STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN everytime your child needs you.  This validates their worth to you.  Prioritize your ‘To-Do’ items and make lists.  Make it a priority to stop at a certain time each night (no matter how messy the house is or how many items are left on your list) to spend time with your husband.  End your night with a devotion and prayer.  Ask God to show you how to reach the lost.  Which activities does He want you to say yes to?  How about which ones does He want you to decline?  The rest of the time that’s available will be God’s script for your life…

Help me, Lord, to use my time on this Earth wisely.  Help me to nurture my relationship with you, which will fill me to the brim with your love so I am able to accomplish the tasks each day brings to the fullest.  Give me the self-control to say no to all the distractions of this life and to say yes to You and the people in my life that mean the most to me.  In your precious Name, Amen.

I will be praying for you to meet the TIME Challenge!  Please pray for me, too! 

God Bless, Break of Dawn

P.S.  I'm excited to start my summer small group study on Wed. about - yep - time!  I truly believe Satan loves to distract us with so many things that we don't have time to spend with the Lord.  This small group study addresses this very issue.  I'll be in touch and let you know what God shows me.