Category: Priorities

Priorities · Work

Don’t Chill! Till!

RefreshHerLeave a comment

What is on your agenda for this week? Do you feel like getting after it, or are you feeling more like “chilling” instead? That tendency is always there, isn’t it? We may be tempted to sleep a little longer, take a few more minutes scrolling on our phone, watching television, or reading a captivating book, but then we realize that so much time has passed and the opportunity to accomplish the said task is now either passed by, or is cut short.

Proverbs always motivates me and reminds me of the most practical steps to take each day. It is so applicable in regards to how I spend my time. Here’s what God says,

He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread, but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding
Proverbs 12:11

I seriously doubt that any of us are hitching up the plow to go till our land today, but when I read this verse recently, the Lord reminded me if we will till that land, we will have bread! There is a blessing of staying at the task at hand! The Lord brought to my mind that we all have “land to till” and it shows itself in many different ways. Consider…

  • Read the Word and you will be nourished.
  • Give out the Word and people will get saved.
  • Disciple someone and there will be spiritual fruit.
  • Pour time into your marriage and it will be rich.
  • Take time with your children and they will flourish.
  • Care for your home and it will be welcoming.
  • Plan for your meals and people will be satisfied.
  • Nurture relationships and your life will be full.
  • Feed your soul and you will grow.
  • Memorize the Word and you will be grounded.
  • Apply the word and you will be wise.

Nothing good ever “just happens.” It takes effort, discipline, planning, and hard work. The good news is that if you know Christ as your Savior, He is your Helper. Proverbs 16:3 Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. He will prod you and strengthen you, but then it is our responsibility to get after it and actually DO the task or work.

This verse in Proverbs also reminds us that the one who follows vain persons is void of understanding. But when we cave to the temptation to follow vain things – sleep, idle moments, and the like, we again reveal our lack of understanding.

How much wiser it is for us to till, rather than chill. What responsibilities are lacking because you’ve not had the motivation to get moving? Why not stop and ask the Lord for His wisdom as to how to get busy and also the strength to do it?

If you need some motivation, here are some posts about prioritizing your days here, here, and here,

Refresh your life by staying busy at the plow!

Priorities

So Much To Do

RefreshHer5 Comments
wpid-wp-1441040634259.jpeg

With tears in her eyes, a sweet friend admitted that her life is “Crazy!” She, like most of us, has so much to do and is overwhelmed with trying to get it all done each day. Her neat lists are made and the appropriate check marks are scratched when the task is completed, but most days, there are plenty of un-done jobs, because there simply aren’t enough hours in each day to do it all!

I totally understand – I’ve been there. But I wonder if for most of us, rather than a need for more time, if one thing that could help would be proper priorities..

  1. We may say that God is first in our life, but does our day back that up? Do we make sure that if nothing else gets done, we’re sure to spend time in God’s Word and in prayer at the beginning of the day? That step alone might save us all kinds of wrong choices in the use of our time. Les Olila said, “My devotions are not a display of my discipline, they are a demonstration of my need for God.” Time with God is essential to the success of my day.
  2. We love our family, but do they really get the next chunk of our time, or is it work, tasks, or friends that are allowed to slide into their time slot? A mopped floor or folded laundry isn’t nearly as important as time spent with your child after school, or a date with your husband so you can really talk uninterrupted. People are more important than things.
  3. We may not think that our techie devices are using up our time, but if your phone was lost for a day, how much more would you accomplish? If Facebook, Instagram, texting or Twitter was removed from your schedule, would you be able to finish a household job that needs to be taken care of? Does your family see the top of your head more often than they see your eyes?

Technology should be a tool, not an inseparable part of my life.

I am only throwing out some suggestions. If this strikes a chord in the misuse of your day, then listen and change, with God’s help. A successful day is more than a page full of check marks. Ask me how I know. =)

Lovingly,

Encouragement · Help for busy moms · Motherhood · Overwhelmed · Priorities · Refreshment · time

How Am I Supposed To Get Everything Done?

RefreshHer8 Comments

Lake1

The week before Easter was one of those overwhelming kind of weeks.  There was so much to do, so much to prepare for, so much to finish up – on top of all my normal daily routines.  I felt like I needed to jump out of bed and start to work in order to accomplish it all!  I wondered as perhaps you often do –

How am I supposed to get everything done and still have time in God’s Word?

That question truly drove me to my knees in prayer, because I knew there was no way that I could come up with a plan that would work.  Yes, I added one more “thing to do” by stopping at my chair to read God’s Word, then drop on my knees to talk to the Lord about my busy day/week.  Continue reading “How Am I Supposed To Get Everything Done?” →

eternal · Goals · Priorities

Two Questions To Shape the New Year

RefreshHer5 Comments

2019, Here We Come!!

calendar a.jpg

There are a ton of questions we could ask ourselves as we approach a new year.  Some of the old standard questions are still excellent ones, but I’ve been pondering just two in the last couple of weeks.  Ready?

  1. What do I wish I had done more of in 2018?
  2. What do I wish I had done less of in 2018?

I think those two simple questions will really encompass all those other goals, needs, and relationships we want to make better this coming year.  It covers the priorities and the people we love,  as well as the habits and idols we need to rid from our lives.

When I asked myself those two questions, here’s what pierced my heart ~

What do I wish I had done more of in 2018?

  • Prayer
  • Scripture memory
  • Reading of books
  • Writing of my own book
  • Exercise
  • Connection with family
  • Discipling

What do I wish I had done less of in 2018?

  • Worry – The prayer could have taken care of that!
  • Screen time – Phones are needed and a blessing, but some days it feels like an appendage.  This is hard because I blog and do videos for You Tube, but it’s something I really want to get a handle on this year!

Both lists have other bullets, but these are the crucial ones, ones I’m taking to the Lord in prayer as I begin a new year.  One prayer I repeat over and over is,

Lord, I want my life to count for You.

I believe if I do more of what’s right and less of what’s keeping me idle, my life can count for Christ.

Oh that I may say like Paul, For me to live is Christ… Philippians 1:21

So, how would you answer those two questions?  Perhaps they can guide you as you ponder how the Lord would want you to live this next year as He grants us the breath to do so.  James 4:15

Refresh yourself in this new year!

Denise Signature 150 px

 

Priorities · summertime

Time to Slow Down

RefreshHer4 Comments

flowersbox 1

My favorite season is here – summertime!  I’m not especially a fan of the heat, but I love the long hours of daylight, being outside when it’s cool and/or shady, eating on our covered patio, working in the yard, growing tomatoes and herbs, and so many other things that include warm, sunny days!

I want to make the most of these summer months and enjoy them to the fullest.  I’ll be Continue reading “Time to Slow Down” →