God is reteaching me this lesson…I think it’s a great reminder as we start this new year!

” She considers a [new] field before she buys or accepts it [expanding prudently and not courting neglect of her present duties by assuming other duties]; with her savings [of time and strength] she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard” Prov 31:16

I’d like to ask you a question. How do you decide how to spend your time?  Think about that for a moment, and jot down an honest answer…perhaps according to your kid’s activities (co-ops, Awana, or sports), the baby’s schedule, or your husband’s schedule. Maybe you have a job or own a business and you have to plan around those hours spent outside the home. Or the schedule you set for your home school day may set the pace for you. I’m sure there are many, many answers.

I would like to challenge you a little today. I have learned some hard lessons over the past 12 months, dealing with health challenges that left me drained and unable to function at the energy level I was used to. I have always been a busy person. (My grandmother used to say, “You can always count on a busy person.” I don’t know if that’s true or not, but it was ingrained in me young!) I had to start choosing what I could do and what I had to let go of. It was extremely difficult for me to know what to do. I had to get really honest about my priorities and let go of those things that were not high on the list.

That’s really the key with time. If we live according to our priorities then time becomes our ally…not our enemy. When we keep our priorities right, we save time and strength, just like the woman in our verse. She wisely considers her actions before she accepts a new responsibility. She says no if necessary, and then with her savings of time and strength, she plants in her own vineyard. There is so much here that we can apply to our lives. If we are frugal about how we spend our time, than we can save both time and strength. With that savings, we can plant into our own lives. Just the opposite is true, when I’m over-extended; I use up all my time and strength and have nothing left to put into my home, family, or relationships.

Now, I can hear you saying, “You don’t know how busy I am!” Being busy isn’t necessarily the problem; however if you aren’t living your priorities, then we need to make a change. If we are consistently frustrated and worn-out, then maybe we need to save some time and strength to plant in our own “vineyards.” It’s really about being in control of our time, making wise decisions, and not feeling a slave to the clock or our schedule.

Prayer: Father, I admit that I have not enjoyed life to its fullest—help me to enjoy my life in spite of my problems, in site of the things that I so want to change. You know each of these things Lord, and I commit them to You. I will not worry or fret over them, but instead will leave them in your hands and go about enjoying life anyway! I will not let any of them be an excuse for a lousy attitude or a short temper. Thank You for Your grace and ability working in me to do this, in Jesus’ name, amen.