FINDING TIME

I received an email from a Mrs. Younger who is signed up to receive this blog of mine.  (BTW.. thank you to all of you who HAVE signed up to receive this via email. Upper right corner of the page. I don't send you anything but this blog...promise.)

Anyway..she asked, "Mrs. Older, other than your spiritual advice to seek the Lord, read His Word, and ask for the help of the Holy Spirit to accomplish what is put before me, what OTHER advice would you give to younger wives and mothers?"

I answered her by saying, "Use your time wisely. I know you are hard pressed to find time for yourself.  So one reminder I would give you is that the time you have your children  under your care will fly by and before you know it they will be gone and on their own." 

Here's my advice...you can take it or not.. but.. here it is:

• Include your children whenever you can in whatever you do.   I'm NOT saying you should be the kind of mother who brings her children when everyone else has taken the time to get a babysitter.  I know a mom who takes her daughter every where she goes. Actually and literally. To lunches with her adult girlfriends, to prayer meetings and Bible studies - and the little girl is a distraction. But I am saying that IF you can choose an event on a Saturday afternoon that can include  -rather than exclude - your children..CHOOSE IT.  Of course, you and Mr. Younger NEED time for yourselves. OF COURSE.. but.. don't give your children the impression that the two of you would give a right arm to get away from them.. whenever you can.  Children are IMPRESSIONABLE.. and you would be surprised at how intuitive they are to what's really going on inside Mommy and Daddy.

• Weigh your "yes" carefully. Every time you agree to do something for someone or (forgive me pastors reading this) your church, you are giving time away that you could be spending with your family.  AGAIN.. I am NOT saying NEVER volunteer for anything.. but I AM saying.. remember that when you say "YES" to one thing it means you are saying "NO" to something else.  It isn't WRONG, in my opinion, for Mom (and Dad)  to have time out of the house.. but I see Moms (and Dads) who are SO OVER COMMITTED to everyone and everything else...that they are away from their home and their kids MORE THAN THEY ARE HOME.  I have found, however, that telling a parent to stop being gone so much is considered an insult.. so.. I try to keep from saying it unless a Mommy asks me why her kids are misbehaving.  I say, "STAY HOME MORE and PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR CHILDREN" Some moms take my advice... some moms don't. 

• No time like the present.  God has promised to supply what we need.  Therefore, He HAS supplied all the time you need to get done what He has called you to get done. So then why are so many of so short of time??? If God has promised to supply what we need? Why doesn't He supply the TIME WE NEED?   OBVIOUSLY.. we are doing things that He never intended for us to do??? Maybe???  Ask Him to show you the TIME ROBBERS.. in your life.  TV watching? Internet browsing? 

•  Be present when you are present.   It's true that life is challenging.. and you may have a boss to answer to.. and your husband has a boss to answer to.. and bills are piling up.. and laundry is never finished... and you are rushing to soccer, football, and dance practice.. but.. listen to that little four year old tell you a story.. STOP.. look her in the eye and listen. Don't brush of the thirteen year old's recounting of how unfair her teacher was today. listen. Just STOP and listen.  

Finding time right now might seem impossible to you.  Trust me, there is a fast approaching season when you will have more than enough time... to do whatever you want to do whenever you want to do it.  It's an exciting time.. that empty nest time.. when God opens NEW doors, and DIFFERENT experiences.

BUT for now, He expects you to FIND THE TIME for your children.

I love you.
Mrs. Older