It's amazing what just five minutes can do. In five minutes you can:
-load the dishwasher
-start a load of laundry
-water your houseplants
-say a prayer
-read a chapter in the Bible
-get really upset
-sit in a quiet spot, take some deep breaths & calm yourself down
My time has been so limited lately that I have felt like I couldn't get anything done, so I often haven't done anything. Since my schedule hasn't changed yet but I want to go ahead and start catching up on things, I have been trying to think of what I CAN do. So, I'm going to take five minutes; in the morning, when I get home and before bed to get three things done. That may not seem like much, but it's three more things than I have been getting done.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Importance and Immediacy
Once upon a time, I was a business major. Scary, I know. However, I did learn a few useful things amidst the hours of sheer boredom. One of the lessons that has not completely left me is that of importance and immediacy. Of course, as with many other useful tidbits, it had been filed away in the deep recesses of my somewhat foggy memory until this weekend, when I was trying to make a plan to get things done and torn between two things that both needed to be done.
The basic idea is that you rate things not by one scale, but by two. You rate things that need to be done on importance: high = MUST be done, medium = Should be done, low = Not necessary (even if it's something you'd like to do). You also rate them on immediacy: this scale you can adjust so it's easy for you to think about. An example would be; Now, Soon & Later or Today, This Week, This Month. Once you have rated everything on both scales, you can easily choose which tasks to prioritize. You can even put them in a chart for an easy visual.
As I remembered this organizational tool, it occurred to me that this can be a TREMENDOUS help in trying to get control of my chaos. I can use it for scheduling, for making a plan to keep the house clean, for planning long term goals, etc. I plan on using it alot. I hope it helps you as well.
The basic idea is that you rate things not by one scale, but by two. You rate things that need to be done on importance: high = MUST be done, medium = Should be done, low = Not necessary (even if it's something you'd like to do). You also rate them on immediacy: this scale you can adjust so it's easy for you to think about. An example would be; Now, Soon & Later or Today, This Week, This Month. Once you have rated everything on both scales, you can easily choose which tasks to prioritize. You can even put them in a chart for an easy visual.
As I remembered this organizational tool, it occurred to me that this can be a TREMENDOUS help in trying to get control of my chaos. I can use it for scheduling, for making a plan to keep the house clean, for planning long term goals, etc. I plan on using it alot. I hope it helps you as well.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Where does my Help come from?
The other day, Psalm 121:1-2 got stuck in my head- all day! Of course, it started with hearing the song version on the radio, but the words stuck with me. "I lift my eyes up to the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord- Maker of heaven and earth."
It got me thinking: what would that help look like? We know that he can give us peace in our distress and clarity in our chaos, but what about practical help? When Jesus walked the earth, he offered physical help. He fed people who were hungry and healed those who were sick. If God is the same now as he always has been, then He must still offer practical help, not just emotional.
As I pondered, it occurred to me that he often uses his people to meet needs. When forming the church, he designed it so that all of the people, who have different strengths and weaknesses could work together to make the church fully functional. Without the business-minded people, the budget would never be made or held to. Without those called to study and preach, we would not learn more about God than what we can discern for ourselves. Without the creative people, there would not be music to worship to. The church needs all kinds of people.
I'm wondering if He designed not just the church, but families to work this way as well. In my family, Mike is the detailed, logical one, so he does the finances, and I'm the organizer (Funny, I know, when I'm having problems with chaos), so I schedule appointments and organize the house, etc.
If I look beyond my home, my mom is the creative one and she actually enjoys cleaning! I also have a working student who enjoys gardening. Perhaps we can help each other. I can help my mom organize her schedule and craft supplies and she can help me deep clean (after I've gotten the mess under control). and maybe I can have my working student do her work in the garden rather than in the barn. Together, we'll have 2 clean organized homes with beautiful gardens and my student will enjoy both her working time and the riding time she earns.
How can you pool your resources with others to help enhance everyone's life?
It got me thinking: what would that help look like? We know that he can give us peace in our distress and clarity in our chaos, but what about practical help? When Jesus walked the earth, he offered physical help. He fed people who were hungry and healed those who were sick. If God is the same now as he always has been, then He must still offer practical help, not just emotional.
As I pondered, it occurred to me that he often uses his people to meet needs. When forming the church, he designed it so that all of the people, who have different strengths and weaknesses could work together to make the church fully functional. Without the business-minded people, the budget would never be made or held to. Without those called to study and preach, we would not learn more about God than what we can discern for ourselves. Without the creative people, there would not be music to worship to. The church needs all kinds of people.
I'm wondering if He designed not just the church, but families to work this way as well. In my family, Mike is the detailed, logical one, so he does the finances, and I'm the organizer (Funny, I know, when I'm having problems with chaos), so I schedule appointments and organize the house, etc.
If I look beyond my home, my mom is the creative one and she actually enjoys cleaning! I also have a working student who enjoys gardening. Perhaps we can help each other. I can help my mom organize her schedule and craft supplies and she can help me deep clean (after I've gotten the mess under control). and maybe I can have my working student do her work in the garden rather than in the barn. Together, we'll have 2 clean organized homes with beautiful gardens and my student will enjoy both her working time and the riding time she earns.
How can you pool your resources with others to help enhance everyone's life?
Thursday, October 21, 2010
The Big Picture
I know that there are many, many moms out there who would love to stay home with their children but for whom that simply isn't an option. I have been very blessed. I have a very supportive husband who has told me that it's my decision and who earns an income we can live on- if we're wise in our spending.
If I do stay home, I'm going to have to make sure that it is without putting my family (particularly Mike) under financial strain. To do that, I am going to have to cut some costs. The first thing I'm going to have to do is sell some horses. The difficulty comes in choosing which ones. The second thing I need to do is make sure we are staying on a budget. My friend Chrystal does a great job of finding ways to stretch her family's budget. I'll have to get some tips from her.
Looking at my jobs, I have been wondering if I'm even making money with them. Income from riding lessons varies greatly depending on weather and the economy. The horses however, could not care less. They still eat the same amount of food, still need their hooves trimmed, etc. So, is it really worth hanging on to all of these sweet, beautiful money pits? Probably not. One advantage to having my own barn is that, if I sell some of my horses, stalls become available for boarding other people's horses. Hmmm... that may be an option.
As for my "office job," while it pays more without the overhead, it is also more hours. I can't bring Josh to work with me like I can at the barn, so I see him less (a LOT less) and have to pay for extra childcare. It's also about 45 minutes away, so add extra time and gas money for that. Since I don't have time to take care of the barn or work with the horses, I have to hire someone to do that. Put these all together and suddenly it doesn't look so appealing. Luckily, this particular job is on a contract basis, so I can simply say I'm unavailable if offered another project after the one I'm currently working on.
Perhaps, once I've gotten some control over my chaos, I'll look at doing something part-time from home, but I think my days of full-time are coming to a close. I have to remember that there is a bigger picture. One with a precious little boy, a sweet & handsome man, and another sweet little one who will soon be joining them.
If I do stay home, I'm going to have to make sure that it is without putting my family (particularly Mike) under financial strain. To do that, I am going to have to cut some costs. The first thing I'm going to have to do is sell some horses. The difficulty comes in choosing which ones. The second thing I need to do is make sure we are staying on a budget. My friend Chrystal does a great job of finding ways to stretch her family's budget. I'll have to get some tips from her.
Looking at my jobs, I have been wondering if I'm even making money with them. Income from riding lessons varies greatly depending on weather and the economy. The horses however, could not care less. They still eat the same amount of food, still need their hooves trimmed, etc. So, is it really worth hanging on to all of these sweet, beautiful money pits? Probably not. One advantage to having my own barn is that, if I sell some of my horses, stalls become available for boarding other people's horses. Hmmm... that may be an option.
As for my "office job," while it pays more without the overhead, it is also more hours. I can't bring Josh to work with me like I can at the barn, so I see him less (a LOT less) and have to pay for extra childcare. It's also about 45 minutes away, so add extra time and gas money for that. Since I don't have time to take care of the barn or work with the horses, I have to hire someone to do that. Put these all together and suddenly it doesn't look so appealing. Luckily, this particular job is on a contract basis, so I can simply say I'm unavailable if offered another project after the one I'm currently working on.
Perhaps, once I've gotten some control over my chaos, I'll look at doing something part-time from home, but I think my days of full-time are coming to a close. I have to remember that there is a bigger picture. One with a precious little boy, a sweet & handsome man, and another sweet little one who will soon be joining them.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Pay Attention!
So I'm up at 4:00 because the dogs HAD to go out at 3:00 (no telling). After spending the last hour or so unsuccessfully trying to go back to sleep, I figured I'd do something I CAN get done.
Over the weekend, I have put a lot of thought into what my goals and priorities are or should be. One thing I realized was that, although my heart tells me my son is my highest priority, my mind tells me that he can't be. For one thing, if I put all of my focus and energy into him, as so many other parents find themselves doing, there will be nothing guiding the rest of my life and there will be no energy left for myself or my husband.
At our house, we have been struggling the last couple of weeks with listening. I don't know if it's because I haven't had enough time with him or because he's four...maybe both. For the most part, Josh is a good kid. He has his drama and his strong-willed side (which, I have to admit, are my contributions to his personality) but he shares and takes turns and is respectful to others. What we have run into is this phase where, when asked to do something, he says okay and then happily proceeds to something entirely different or just keeps doing whatever he was doing. We've also been trying to work on having him respond when we ask a question, rather than repeating it until he gives an answer. I've discovered that half the time, if I ask him what I said, he can't tell me.
Realizing that none of this is new to most parents, it got me thinking. I know that my first priority should be God. I know that he has a plan for my life and that, should I follow that plan, that would be the best version of my life. The question is, am I making Him the top priority in my life or am I making my family and my giant to-do list my priority. It seems that, as happens to many others I know, I have gotten so bogged down in the immediate, I have forgotten that there is MORE to this life. How am I supposed to follow God's leading in my life, when I'm too distracted to hear even if he's talking to me? Just as my son doesn't hear me if the tv is on in the background, I can't hear God over the din of my chaos.
So, my first priority MUST be to set aside some daily time to listen to someone who knows more about this world than I do. Only then will I have the help and guidance I need to keep myself (and my life) focused so that I can attend to my second priority, which is my family. All of the other things; a clean house, being healthy, even things I want do, come after those and out of them. How? Because I want my family to be able to have friends over and have a mom who is healthy enough to run and play and for us to show compassion and to go and experience new things together.
One thing I have learned about God over the years is that he is a big fan of relationships. His word is filled with wisdom about how we should relate to each other. He shows us how we can show love and support even during difficult times. As I get my schedule and such in order, I want to use the time that becomes available to develop those deep bonds with my family and friends that he illustrates for us. To take the time to show the people I love just how much I care. I'm sure that, if I pay attention to Him, these are the things He would want me to focus on.
Over the weekend, I have put a lot of thought into what my goals and priorities are or should be. One thing I realized was that, although my heart tells me my son is my highest priority, my mind tells me that he can't be. For one thing, if I put all of my focus and energy into him, as so many other parents find themselves doing, there will be nothing guiding the rest of my life and there will be no energy left for myself or my husband.
At our house, we have been struggling the last couple of weeks with listening. I don't know if it's because I haven't had enough time with him or because he's four...maybe both. For the most part, Josh is a good kid. He has his drama and his strong-willed side (which, I have to admit, are my contributions to his personality) but he shares and takes turns and is respectful to others. What we have run into is this phase where, when asked to do something, he says okay and then happily proceeds to something entirely different or just keeps doing whatever he was doing. We've also been trying to work on having him respond when we ask a question, rather than repeating it until he gives an answer. I've discovered that half the time, if I ask him what I said, he can't tell me.
Realizing that none of this is new to most parents, it got me thinking. I know that my first priority should be God. I know that he has a plan for my life and that, should I follow that plan, that would be the best version of my life. The question is, am I making Him the top priority in my life or am I making my family and my giant to-do list my priority. It seems that, as happens to many others I know, I have gotten so bogged down in the immediate, I have forgotten that there is MORE to this life. How am I supposed to follow God's leading in my life, when I'm too distracted to hear even if he's talking to me? Just as my son doesn't hear me if the tv is on in the background, I can't hear God over the din of my chaos.
So, my first priority MUST be to set aside some daily time to listen to someone who knows more about this world than I do. Only then will I have the help and guidance I need to keep myself (and my life) focused so that I can attend to my second priority, which is my family. All of the other things; a clean house, being healthy, even things I want do, come after those and out of them. How? Because I want my family to be able to have friends over and have a mom who is healthy enough to run and play and for us to show compassion and to go and experience new things together.
One thing I have learned about God over the years is that he is a big fan of relationships. His word is filled with wisdom about how we should relate to each other. He shows us how we can show love and support even during difficult times. As I get my schedule and such in order, I want to use the time that becomes available to develop those deep bonds with my family and friends that he illustrates for us. To take the time to show the people I love just how much I care. I'm sure that, if I pay attention to Him, these are the things He would want me to focus on.
Friday, October 15, 2010
No time to be
So...my life is chaos. No, really. I'm always running, always stressed and always tired. I've been so busy playing "catch up" that I haven't had time to play with my son. I haven't caught up either. I've had no time to be a wife, a mom, a friend, anything other than busy.
I don't want this to be my life...or my family's. Things have got to change. NOW.
I'm starting this blog as part journal for my own sanity and part in hopes that some of my trial and triumph can help encourage others who find themselves mired in the same much I have been.
As someone once said, "take heart in knowing that, when you're knee-deep in one of those days, you're not alone."
I have realized that scheduling is the main source of my stress and lack of time. But I have also realized that it is more than that. What I put in my schedule and what I leave out of it should reflect my goals and priorities. Right now, that is not the case.
The first thing I need to do is sit down and consider. What do I want for my life? For my family? What are the deep seeded longings of my heart? Who do I want to be? The answers to these questions will help me determine what my schedule should look like.
I don't want this to be my life...or my family's. Things have got to change. NOW.
I'm starting this blog as part journal for my own sanity and part in hopes that some of my trial and triumph can help encourage others who find themselves mired in the same much I have been.
As someone once said, "take heart in knowing that, when you're knee-deep in one of those days, you're not alone."
I have realized that scheduling is the main source of my stress and lack of time. But I have also realized that it is more than that. What I put in my schedule and what I leave out of it should reflect my goals and priorities. Right now, that is not the case.
The first thing I need to do is sit down and consider. What do I want for my life? For my family? What are the deep seeded longings of my heart? Who do I want to be? The answers to these questions will help me determine what my schedule should look like.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)