As I plan out my days and try to fit in so many tasks, i.e. working, caring for my family, volunteer work, writing, planning events, etc. I realized I also have to plan for Christmas, which is now only about 1 month away.
Overhearing friends and family talking about “finding time” to do this or that, go shopping or bake in order to prepare for Christmas, has inspired me to write about this, I think its “timely” considering the season we are preparing for.
I recall something a good friend of mine shared with me “time is a gift”
If time is a gift, why do we struggle with time? Why do we all seem to never have enough time? Can we really ever “find” time?
The reality of it is we have all the time we need to accomplish what we need to accomplish. Like any great gift we are given, it’s not the gift itself that makes it valuable but how we use it and how we care for it. How do I manage my time?
I’d recommend some reflection on this. When I sat down to truly look at how I was spending my time, I realized that so much of it was spent on things that were not helping me; in fact, many things were hindering me. Spending time idling on the internet, watching TV shows, and being a bit of a scatter brain when I attempted housework. While I was working on one task, I was thinking of the 20 other things I need to get done, losing focus and becoming sidetracked. Certainly, leisure activities like, watching TV and internet are not in themselves totally wrong, but they can easily use up hours worth of time that can be spent on more productive tasks.
First I found myself making a list of priorities: a sort of to do list in order of importance. Then I have to ask myself a few questions: What do I want to accomplish today or this week? What tasks have to be done to accomplish it?
Then what I did was create a daily schedule, holding myself accountable for every moment of the day, from the time I awake to the moment I go to bed at night.
We all have to be accountable and responsible for how we spend our time. I start my day by entrusting it to God in prayer and end the day in thanksgiving, reflecting on what I did and how I can do better tomorrow.
God created time, when he created day and night; therefore He is outside of time. He created us for heaven, therefore we are naturally meant to be with Him outside of time, as well. This brings much consolation to me, as I realize I will not “find” time, instead I must make good use of the time God has given me.
In my next post I will share what comes to mind when I hear the question: “Are you ready for Christmas?”
