Time

Some days drag on while others fly by in a flash. Around here the summer days are “longer” with the sun setting later and later; the winter days are “short” with the sun setting as early as 5 sometimes! It seems that even though the sun is up longer during the spring and summer, there is not enough time to get it all done. You see, during the winter I am able to run, lift, and clean the house easily, along with spend time with my kiddos, and still get them to bed at a decent bed time! During the summer, well, if I don’t get my run in the morning it likely won’t happen (waaaay to hot after about 8:00), and lifting comes second to chores which multiply during the summer. Not only am I supposed to have the house clean (which I dislike staying inside unless it’s 100+ or under 10 degrees Fahrenheit), but during the spring, summer, and into fall, there is mowing to be done (about 3-4 hours worth of it), gardens to be tended, weeds to be picked, projects to be done, wood to be stained, trees to be taken care of, and the list goes on! By the time I realize what happened, it is 7:00 and I still need to make dinner and get the kids to bed!

The house falls behind, my workout routine is all thrown off, and unfortunately my devotional time also falls behind. All of the sudden I realize its been a week since I’ve opened my Bible. For the most part this could be solved by me simply setting my alarm clock, and doing it first thing in the morning. It wouldn’t require much, my kids normally get up around 6:30-7 in the morning, so a simple 6:00 alarm would allow me to get in that much needed daily time in His presence. This “simple” alarm gets harder when my husband is not working, when I need to start my run earlier and earlier, and when my kids wake up earlier. Truth is, I could still make time. My kids are getting old enough (almost 3 and 5) that I can still do my time while they eat breakfast or play around in the morning. I can still cuddle with my husband that extra 30 minutes and go do my devotion during that loll in the morning, in between breakfast and getting outside. If I can get up to go run early, then I can get up an extra 15 minutes earlier to read my Bible as well. That is the truth, and I even though I struggle to keep it in routine year round, I am forced to recognize that it is my priorities that are getting in my way. I need to continue to check in with myself and make sure God is my number one priority, and that I am spending time daily with Him.

Trying to fit it all in is impossible. I cannot possibly get all of the chores done, the house clean, a run, throw some weights around, take the kids to the pool, blah blah blah, and a devotion. However, I can make sure I do a couple things every day that will show where my priorities lie.

1. Do my devotion first thing in the morning, then it won’t get lost in the day.
2. Do something fun with my kids (and husband when he is off work).
3. Run OR Lift (maybe both, maybe not)

These 3 checklists are all I really need. Everything else will work out eventually. The grass will be mowed, even if it grew a bit too tall. The house will get cleaned, even if it really needed it a couple days ago. The chores will be taken care of, and nothing will spiral out of control if they have to wait another day, there are more important things to focus on.