I looked up the definition of "time" and Webster describes it as this: the indefinite continued progress of existence or the plan, schedule, or arrangement of when (something) should happen or be done. We all have an allotment of "time" and I think we all want to know that how we're spending it is in a worthy manor, I know that I sure do.
So, here's a little bit of what's been going on and how time has been spent the past few weeks:
I was home folding laundry during nap time one day when I heard sirens coming up our street. I walked out onto our front porch to see not one but two fire trucks. I grabbed my phone and headed across the street to check on our dear sweet neighbor, Ms. Betty. Thankfully all was fine, it was just a faulty smoke detector, but she was quite shaken up from all the drama. It took about 30 minutes for them to be able to shut off all the alarms going off in her house, but thankfully it was nothing major.
Time doing the necessary things in life…
There are all kinds of things that fall into this category: normal things that have to be done around the house, Room Rep meetings for my kids classes, emailing parents with info from the Room Rep meetings and then there's the necessary maintenance that comes with owning a home which includes yard work. We had some bushes on the side of the house that had grown completely out of control. They literally were almost reaching the gutters on our two story home…over grown would have been an understatement! So Adam took to chopping and hacking and sawing and pulling branches. It was a BIG job, an all Saturday afternoon kind of job. I wish to goodness that my piles looked more mounded up then they do in this picture because it doesn't even do justice to the way I felt after I pushed and pulled, tugged and piled up all the branches.
Time spent with the kiddos…
Sometimes it feels like I don't spend a lot of quality time with them but when I looked back through pictures on my phone, it seems like we did this part well this time (which is certainly not always the case). We decided to keep things simple one evening so we just grabbed dinner to go and went out to Maumelle Park to enjoy the last bit of sunshine and getting to watch the boats cruise into the marina. The boys tossed the football around while I pushed the littles in the swings. Everyone had a good time just getting out and enjoying the evening. We also did a little dog sitting for two sweet animal friends, True and Lucy. The kids enjoyed having them stay with us and did great with them.
We knew we'd be gone from the kids for several days so we decided to have a "Donuts with Dad" on Friday morning. Krispy Kreme is always a big hit for our kiddos. Who can resist those warm, hot off the conveyor belt donuts? Not us!!
Time spent with friends…
I'm so thankful for the good friends my boys have been blessed with. Thankfully we were able to have three different playdates with friends and they are all such huge answers to my prayers.
Time spent at the school...
There was much time spent up at the school helping to decorate for the Math and Literacy Carnival (and even now, I'm prepping and planning for the 50th Day of School Sock Hop for next week.) The boys enjoyed eating Chick Fil A and getting their picture with the cow. The highlight of the evening was the bounce houses that were setup in the gym and the Leggos that were in Mr. Spencer's science lab. Getting to do a trial run in their new Halloween costumes was a big plus too!
Time spent volunteering...
Our church is partnering with an organization called For All Mankind who assemble and deliver "Compassion Kits" to people who need them. They use the kits as a way to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Their mission is to bring "a caring gift with a compelling message." So our D-Group helped to get the items sorted, folded, stuffed and ready so that the church body can help to accomplish the goal of providing for, stuffing and ultimately delivering, 5,000 boxes for people in need of not only the everyday items but who also have never heard of Jesus before. The boxes we are packing will be going to men, women and children in India. It really is (and was) a privilege to help with this project. (There's plenty more to be done, so if you're interested please contact Rosie Stephens from Fellowship Bible Church at RStephens@fellowshiponline.com)
So, there was time spent (an indefinite continued progress of existence) as we spent time celebrating a family members 22nd birthday; time spent with my sweet nephew Theodore; time spent talking with a life long friend on the phone; time spent cooking and then delivering meals; time visiting a precious new baby born to some dear friends of ours. There were meetings and dinners and lots of time and energy was spent. As I've had some time to recuperate and think about how I've been going about life and spending my time, I do feel like I've been doing things worth while, I've been involved, I've been aware of needs and been able to help out as I can. At times, I've let Satan make me feel like I need to do more, but I'm not going to let Satan get the victory by allowing him to make me feel small, inefficient, unproductive, unimportant and most of all like I've somehow wasted my time by helping a neighbor across the street, by doing mundane house work, by taking time to play with the kids or by cutting out all those bats that hung from the ceiling tiles for the carnival at school. Time is precious and I want to spend it wisely. I prayed this morning and will continue with this prayer, for God to show me what to do with the limited 24 hours that I have in each day. I want to please Him and honor Him with my time--with my "plans, schedule, or arrangement of when (something) should happen or be done". Ephesians 5:15-17 says, "Look carefully then how you walk…making the best use of the time…understand what the will of the Lord is." And that's what I'm striving for, to know what the will of the Lord is. I don't always consult Him about my daily coming and going but I'm striving for that and hoping to encounter Him in my time spent.
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