Tag: priorities

Start Fresh Now

Published on by Kim

You know those mornings where the day gets off to a rough start? By noon you’re ready to throw in the towel? Nothing is working, emergencies abound, tempers flare, etc. You’re not even sure why you got out of bed because nothing has been accomplished. The temptation is strong to write off the day as worthless, grab the bag of chocolate chip cookies for consolation, and wait until the next morning’s fresh start to try again. A blank slate is our only hope.

Except it’s not.

Recently a friend encouraged me with some wise insight. Instead of giving up on the day at noon, that’s the cue to stop and regroup. Pause. Pray for grace and wisdom. Seek a proper perspective on the day and a renewed focus. Plant our feet in the Word of God. Remember our priorities and how they direct our work. Remind ourselves of what matters.

Then, having turned our eyes in the right direction, we can walk on confidently and redeem the day. There is still hope. It is not too late. Even now, no matter the hour or what has already happened in the day, we have all we need to love God and love our neighbor and fulfill our callings well.

Spot Check

Published on by Kim

Life gets away from us. Time flows so quickly, a year is gone before we know it. We are dealing with so many right-now needs that we don’t realize all that we are doing over time. Emergency mode can take over and planning fades to the back.

Our focus on big responsibilities can be hard to keep. We know some things are important, but making time can be hard. Dragging our eyes off the crisis to the crucial is difficult. Keeping priorities front and center is usually hard work.

One thing that will help is regularly taking time to regroup. It may only be a few minutes — on a car ride, maybe, or while washing dishes — but it will be good for you. If you can grab a little more time, look at your calendar as a prompt.

  • How are you really spending your time? Does that match up with your priorities?
  • Have you added a lot of stuff that you didn’t plan on? Do you have room for that or do you need to look at saying “No” to something for now?
  • Are the tools you use doing what you need, or do you need to find something that works better?
  • Do you need help?

Sometimes you find something to change, and that helps you going forward. Sometimes you find that your time is being used well for that to which you are called today. Take that encouragement and walk on. Either way, spot checks give you confidence that you are not letting “life” get away from you, that you are managing your time and activities wisely.