Ephesians 5:15-16
So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
A short twenty-seven years ago, my husband and I embarked on a new business venture. We purchased a state-of-the-art Apple Macintosh computer and a couple of printers, including a laser printer that cost $4000 on its own. Today the same printer would probably cost a little more than $100! There was no cell phone…or World Wide Web…certainly nothing like Skype or FaceTime. Yes…things have certainly changed in a short period of time! We had plenty of opportunities for distraction…but they didn’t include playing “Candy Crush” or “Angry Birds” on a smart phone, communicating via social media, or texting. And none of these are bad past-times, if conducted wisely and in moderation.
Facebook is the perfect example. This social media vehicle can become a time waster…or a wonderful medium for sharing friendship, love and concern with others. A good case in point came in recent weeks when Buffy, a woman with whom I attended school and church as a teenager, became ill with the flu and double pneumonia. Her family members began to post prayer requests on Facebook. In turn, I shared these requests with my Facebook friends – many of whom had also been classmates and friends. Buffy died earlier this week. As her brother said to me, “thru your posts, thousands of folks prayed for Buff.” He thanked me for contributing to “this avalanche of love that's covered all of us.”
Every day, we have opportunities to spend our time wisely… or to waste it. Our choices matter…more than we may ever realize. The thirty minutes you spend writing cards of encouragement to someone or visiting with a friend or acquaintance on the phone may give them exactly the lift they needed to get through another day. The hour you turn off the computer or television and take a walk with your spouse, family member or friend… play in the floor with a child…or visit a neighbor…may generate results and blessings beyond your wildest imagination – for that person AND for you! The time you spend reading this devotional may give God an opportunity to provide you with insights you had not considered…and help you to serve more fully and effectively as one of Christ’s disciples!
The point is that everyone has the same amount of time each day. The difference comes in how we choose to use our time…where we place priorities…our ability to create balance between the demands of others and the world, our own desires, and God’s will. The best way to accomplish a successful equilibrium is to earnestly seek God each day…to start with the question, “What do YOU want from me in the next 24 hours?” We must listen to God’s voice and direction and schedule our activities accordingly. We must leave room on our calendar for the unexpected…and not fill our days so chock full that we are totally thrown into a tizzy when something happens that we did not anticipate and/or could not predict.
Opportunities to serve others…to share the love and compassion of Jesus with them…are all around us. I don’t know what new gadgets, gizmos and inventions the coming years will bring - or what means they will offer for serving others (and potential distractions) will accompany them. But I do know that God can show us how to keep balance in our lives and spend our time wisely. Are you willing to listen and let Him?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label time management. Show all posts
Showing posts with label time management. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for June 9, 2012
Psalm 90:10, 12
We can expect seventy years, or maybe eighty, if we are healthy, but even our best years bring trouble and sorrow. Suddenly our time is up, and we disappear.
Teach us to use wisely all the time we have.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
For the first twenty-five-plus years of my adult life, I lived and breathed by a schedule and calendar. In my years as a teacher, I planned everything around the school year and scheduled holidays. When I was not in summer school, I mapped out my summer days – to some degree - trying to get everything I felt I had to get done finished within the first week or two so I could “relax” and enjoy the rest of the break. I would frantically spend the first week or two of June doing all of my heavy house cleaning, any “summer sewing” and getting other “obligations” out of the way.
At the end of the summer break, I would allow a couple of weeks or more to get ready to go back to school… cleaning again, making meals to put in the freezer, and then actually working at school to get my room ready for the new class. I used to plan weekly menus – and stick to them! I have “to-do” lists from those years that would probably stack inches high on my desk. And yes, if you saw my laundry room filled with fabrics and crafts items waiting to become my latest project, you would say I still have “to-do” lists of sorts!
Now that I have the luxury of retirement and don’t have to plan my life around a work schedule, I can enjoy “going with the flow” more. There are many days when I say to myself – or anyone within earshot, “I got so much more done when I was working!” But at the same time, I have to ask myself if I really made every day count in the bargain.
In my notes, I have written that “the value of dying is that it makes us aware of how limited time is. Our days are numbered! Make every day count for God!” I have learned the hard way that a lot of what we think is important – or makes us happy – is more about appearances and pleasing others than satisfying ourselves… much less God.
So here are a few things I have learned along the way...
I suggest that we start each day with a prayer of thanksgiving for the gift of a new day. Ask God to show you what He has planned for your day… and work your own “to-do” list around His! Our days are numbered, but God can show us how to make every single one count. Are you wisely using all the time that you have?
©2012 Debbie Robus
We can expect seventy years, or maybe eighty, if we are healthy, but even our best years bring trouble and sorrow. Suddenly our time is up, and we disappear.
Teach us to use wisely all the time we have.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
For the first twenty-five-plus years of my adult life, I lived and breathed by a schedule and calendar. In my years as a teacher, I planned everything around the school year and scheduled holidays. When I was not in summer school, I mapped out my summer days – to some degree - trying to get everything I felt I had to get done finished within the first week or two so I could “relax” and enjoy the rest of the break. I would frantically spend the first week or two of June doing all of my heavy house cleaning, any “summer sewing” and getting other “obligations” out of the way.
At the end of the summer break, I would allow a couple of weeks or more to get ready to go back to school… cleaning again, making meals to put in the freezer, and then actually working at school to get my room ready for the new class. I used to plan weekly menus – and stick to them! I have “to-do” lists from those years that would probably stack inches high on my desk. And yes, if you saw my laundry room filled with fabrics and crafts items waiting to become my latest project, you would say I still have “to-do” lists of sorts!
Now that I have the luxury of retirement and don’t have to plan my life around a work schedule, I can enjoy “going with the flow” more. There are many days when I say to myself – or anyone within earshot, “I got so much more done when I was working!” But at the same time, I have to ask myself if I really made every day count in the bargain.
In my notes, I have written that “the value of dying is that it makes us aware of how limited time is. Our days are numbered! Make every day count for God!” I have learned the hard way that a lot of what we think is important – or makes us happy – is more about appearances and pleasing others than satisfying ourselves… much less God.
So here are a few things I have learned along the way...
- It is okay to pick and choose. I have opted to spend time with my grandmother instead of attending the funeral of one of her friends. I have learned to say “No!” rather than stretch myself too thinly. A dear “other-mother” friend of mine told a mutual friend once, “’No!’ can be a holy answer!” My former pastor told me that “’No!” is a complete sentence!”
- Spending time on my own health and fitness benefits everyone… not just me. If I don’t take care of myself physically, mentally and spiritually, I cannot help those who need me… not to mention that God wants me to be the best “me” possible. (see point #1)
- If I get to the end of a busy, productive day and didn’t plan a meal for dinner, there is always peanut butter – or carry-out!
- “To-do” lists are great things… we should have goals. But just because something is on “the list” doesn’t mean the world will crash down around you if it doesn’t get done!
- Relationships are more important than crossing something off the list. A walk in the park with my husband trumps a clean floor any day. Ditto for time spent with our little ones, a phone conversation with a friend or family member, and dropping everything to comfort someone who is in need.
I suggest that we start each day with a prayer of thanksgiving for the gift of a new day. Ask God to show you what He has planned for your day… and work your own “to-do” list around His! Our days are numbered, but God can show us how to make every single one count. Are you wisely using all the time that you have?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 24, 2011
Proverbs 20:24
The very steps we take come from GOD; otherwise how would we know where we're going?
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
A few weeks ago, Timothy and his family moved to Texas, so we didn’t see our little guy for seven weeks. Now, you may be saying that this is not such a long time, but for us, it seemed like seven years. I was reminded to cherish every moment with him. Now that he is here for an extended stay, I’m doing just that! If he doesn’t take a nap when I want, I try to enjoy watching him wind down – even if he’s fussy. When he wakes me at 4:45 a.m. and says “Jack!” as in “Jack’s Big Music Show,” I try to realize that 2-year-olds have no clock, and he has no clue that grownups are still trying to sleep at this hour!
All too soon, this little guy will be too old for his Aunt DebDeb and Uncle Greg, and our chances to nurture and dote on him will be greatly diminished. We will never get back the cute giggles… the day he first started stringing sentences together… or all of those wonderful, sticky hugs and kisses he has for us now. And it’s not just little ones… last week my grandmother tearfully said to me, “Things are changing.” At nearly 99, she sees her time slipping away, and so do we. Before you know it, she will be off to heaven, and we will no longer have the opportunity to benefit from her presence – and her wisdom and wit.
My point is that God has numbered our steps. If it weren’t for God showing us the way and guiding us, we wouldn’t have a clue how to act or what to do… and for most of us, the results would be disastrous! I believe that God is calling us to slow down, to quit dreaming that hot summer days would give way to fall. I believe He is saying, “Don’t wish it were winter… or next week or next year! Enjoy the day I have given you… this day… this hour. Do what I am calling you to do in this time frame - whether it’s playing with a toddler, spending time with an elderly loved one, or standing in line at the grocery store.”
I believe God wants us to be more present in the moment… to be awake and alert for His blessings and opportunities to serve in His name at all times… not just when it’s convenient, we’re rested, and all of the stars align in the universe!
How are you living these days? Are you aware Who numbers your steps? Are you wishing your life away and rushing through things, or are you truly present in the moment… serving God and praising Him for each second of the day? How do you know where you are going?
©2011 Debbie Robus
The very steps we take come from GOD; otherwise how would we know where we're going?
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
A few weeks ago, Timothy and his family moved to Texas, so we didn’t see our little guy for seven weeks. Now, you may be saying that this is not such a long time, but for us, it seemed like seven years. I was reminded to cherish every moment with him. Now that he is here for an extended stay, I’m doing just that! If he doesn’t take a nap when I want, I try to enjoy watching him wind down – even if he’s fussy. When he wakes me at 4:45 a.m. and says “Jack!” as in “Jack’s Big Music Show,” I try to realize that 2-year-olds have no clock, and he has no clue that grownups are still trying to sleep at this hour!
All too soon, this little guy will be too old for his Aunt DebDeb and Uncle Greg, and our chances to nurture and dote on him will be greatly diminished. We will never get back the cute giggles… the day he first started stringing sentences together… or all of those wonderful, sticky hugs and kisses he has for us now. And it’s not just little ones… last week my grandmother tearfully said to me, “Things are changing.” At nearly 99, she sees her time slipping away, and so do we. Before you know it, she will be off to heaven, and we will no longer have the opportunity to benefit from her presence – and her wisdom and wit.
My point is that God has numbered our steps. If it weren’t for God showing us the way and guiding us, we wouldn’t have a clue how to act or what to do… and for most of us, the results would be disastrous! I believe that God is calling us to slow down, to quit dreaming that hot summer days would give way to fall. I believe He is saying, “Don’t wish it were winter… or next week or next year! Enjoy the day I have given you… this day… this hour. Do what I am calling you to do in this time frame - whether it’s playing with a toddler, spending time with an elderly loved one, or standing in line at the grocery store.”
I believe God wants us to be more present in the moment… to be awake and alert for His blessings and opportunities to serve in His name at all times… not just when it’s convenient, we’re rested, and all of the stars align in the universe!
How are you living these days? Are you aware Who numbers your steps? Are you wishing your life away and rushing through things, or are you truly present in the moment… serving God and praising Him for each second of the day? How do you know where you are going?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 12, 2010
April 12 ~ Ecclesiastes 4:6
Yet a very little food eaten in peace is better than twice as much earned from overwork and chasing the wind.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Back in the 1980’s, when my grandparents, our dads, my brother, cousins and other relatives were still alive, we used to have fairly regular family dinners. Any day was a holiday somewhere, so from impromptu weiner roasts at one of the Corps parks on a Sunday afternoon to elaborate potlucks at Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and more… we loved to get together and eat. We worked hard to prepare food. I think back to my childhood and my mom’s Christmas morning breakfasts – cookies for us kids and bacon and eggs with all the trimmings for the “menfolk” – followed a mere four hours later with the lavish turkey lunch and all the accompanying side dishes. I wonder, “What was she thinking, and how did she and my grandmothers and the other adult women in the family do this?” When I became an adult, it was all I could do to prepare my two or three potluck dishes and get to the lunch on time! Forget breakfast – we were lucky to get a piece of toast!
So one time, my mom had a rather spur-of-the-moment family get-together, and instead of a big hoopie-do dinner, she fixed tuna fish and pimiento cheese sandwiches. I think someone made some brownies or something, and another made baked beans, and we all got together and ate what was, for us, a simple meal. But the fellowship and the visiting was just as good… maybe even better. Instead of spending an hour dividing up leftovers and putting away food and washing dishes, we spent more time as a group having fun and reminiscing. We were not overworked and chasing the wind. As my cousin Eddie left Mom’s house he said, “You know… this was great! We don’t have to have a fancy meal, but it sure was good to get together.”
Now that much of my family is gone or scattered across multiple cities/states, we find it very hard to get together. I honestly couldn’t even tell you the last time either my extended family or my husband’s was together long enough to share a meal where everyone was there. For a lot of reasons, it seems it has become very hard for us to throw together some pimiento cheese or tuna fish and a loaf of bread, so to speak, and say, “Come on over!”
Let’s look at this from a Christian perspective… how hard would it be to toss on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and head to church to worship God on Sunday morning? I promise, He doesn’t care if you’re wearing designer clothing or thrift shop rejects. When was the last time you dropped everything to go see about a friend who was sick or in need? You might have to miss a TV show (although with DVR, that’s highly improbable these days) – or you might have to get out of your sweats and put on something a little nicer, but that wouldn’t be the end of the world, would it?! When was the last time you picked up the phone and called someone you’ve meant to talk to for a long time… or stopped in to see the shut-in whose house you drive past every day?
How long has it been since you slowed down and stopped chasing the wind, and enjoyed the peace of God that fellowship and sharing His love with others bring? Isn’t it about time we all did just that?
©2010 Debbie Robus
Yet a very little food eaten in peace is better than twice as much earned from overwork and chasing the wind.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Back in the 1980’s, when my grandparents, our dads, my brother, cousins and other relatives were still alive, we used to have fairly regular family dinners. Any day was a holiday somewhere, so from impromptu weiner roasts at one of the Corps parks on a Sunday afternoon to elaborate potlucks at Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and more… we loved to get together and eat. We worked hard to prepare food. I think back to my childhood and my mom’s Christmas morning breakfasts – cookies for us kids and bacon and eggs with all the trimmings for the “menfolk” – followed a mere four hours later with the lavish turkey lunch and all the accompanying side dishes. I wonder, “What was she thinking, and how did she and my grandmothers and the other adult women in the family do this?” When I became an adult, it was all I could do to prepare my two or three potluck dishes and get to the lunch on time! Forget breakfast – we were lucky to get a piece of toast!
So one time, my mom had a rather spur-of-the-moment family get-together, and instead of a big hoopie-do dinner, she fixed tuna fish and pimiento cheese sandwiches. I think someone made some brownies or something, and another made baked beans, and we all got together and ate what was, for us, a simple meal. But the fellowship and the visiting was just as good… maybe even better. Instead of spending an hour dividing up leftovers and putting away food and washing dishes, we spent more time as a group having fun and reminiscing. We were not overworked and chasing the wind. As my cousin Eddie left Mom’s house he said, “You know… this was great! We don’t have to have a fancy meal, but it sure was good to get together.”
Now that much of my family is gone or scattered across multiple cities/states, we find it very hard to get together. I honestly couldn’t even tell you the last time either my extended family or my husband’s was together long enough to share a meal where everyone was there. For a lot of reasons, it seems it has become very hard for us to throw together some pimiento cheese or tuna fish and a loaf of bread, so to speak, and say, “Come on over!”
Let’s look at this from a Christian perspective… how hard would it be to toss on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and head to church to worship God on Sunday morning? I promise, He doesn’t care if you’re wearing designer clothing or thrift shop rejects. When was the last time you dropped everything to go see about a friend who was sick or in need? You might have to miss a TV show (although with DVR, that’s highly improbable these days) – or you might have to get out of your sweats and put on something a little nicer, but that wouldn’t be the end of the world, would it?! When was the last time you picked up the phone and called someone you’ve meant to talk to for a long time… or stopped in to see the shut-in whose house you drive past every day?
How long has it been since you slowed down and stopped chasing the wind, and enjoyed the peace of God that fellowship and sharing His love with others bring? Isn’t it about time we all did just that?
©2010 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 15, 2010
February 15 ~ Matthew 14:23
Then he went up on a mountain where he could be alone and pray. Later that evening, he was still there.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
How is it that we can sit through three-hour movies, a whole afternoon of football or basketball games, hours of playing video games, or chatting/texting with friends on the phone or computer, but we cannot find five minutes to pray? How often do we sit down to do something and forget all about the time… looking up hours later to realize we haven’t noticed how much time has elapsed? Yet we seldom sit quietly and just talk to God. Why is this?
I will be the first to admit that I am guilty as charged. I have the best intentions of spending a “quiet time” each day with God, but about the most I muster is my 3-mile walk a few times a week. And that’s not all bad. But doesn’t God deserve some “alone time” with us? Doesn’t He deserve some time when we “go to the mountain alone” and sit with Him for a while?
I am challenging each of us to do better in this area – myself included. I am suggesting we give up a television program, a game of solitaire, a few minutes of chat or whatever eats up our time… and spend some “quiet alone time” with our Heavenly Father. I think we will all find that this becomes the best part of our day… the most productive, rewarding, and blessed time. I believe this time spent with God could make every aspect of the rest of our day better. Are you willing to find out?
©2009 Debbie Robus
Then he went up on a mountain where he could be alone and pray. Later that evening, he was still there.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
How is it that we can sit through three-hour movies, a whole afternoon of football or basketball games, hours of playing video games, or chatting/texting with friends on the phone or computer, but we cannot find five minutes to pray? How often do we sit down to do something and forget all about the time… looking up hours later to realize we haven’t noticed how much time has elapsed? Yet we seldom sit quietly and just talk to God. Why is this?
I will be the first to admit that I am guilty as charged. I have the best intentions of spending a “quiet time” each day with God, but about the most I muster is my 3-mile walk a few times a week. And that’s not all bad. But doesn’t God deserve some “alone time” with us? Doesn’t He deserve some time when we “go to the mountain alone” and sit with Him for a while?
I am challenging each of us to do better in this area – myself included. I am suggesting we give up a television program, a game of solitaire, a few minutes of chat or whatever eats up our time… and spend some “quiet alone time” with our Heavenly Father. I think we will all find that this becomes the best part of our day… the most productive, rewarding, and blessed time. I believe this time spent with God could make every aspect of the rest of our day better. Are you willing to find out?
©2009 Debbie Robus
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)