Thursday, March 13, 2008

Like A Tree Planted By The Rivers

I decided the other day that I would spend my daily Bible time in the book of Psalms for a while. I started at the beginning and have not moved on. There is meat worth chewing in this first chapter. It has a good feeling to read it, but it has some depth, that unless sought out, can be overlooked. Oh, the teachings that could be done on this chapter alone. I have not been called to preach (at least not in this forum), so I will leave that to those who are. I will however, note that each verse is filled with life principles. Maybe Oprah should do a 10 week online course on Psalm 1. It could change lives. I know I want to be able to "stand in the judgement". That does not say "stand in judgement"...it says "stand in THE judgement". There will be a judgement someday...ok so that is very close to preaching. I need to chew on this chapter some more. The kids are having a blast in our new home school routine. It is not totally set, but so far, they are loving it. I have had them doing some copy work to improve their handwriting. Both kids dislike writing, so what do you do about that?? You make it fun. I bought them each NEW notebooks just for copy work. 2 each actually. One is for poems, story sentences, etc. and one is for scripture. Charlotte copied the 1 poem she was asked to do yesterday, plus several more that were not required! Zachary. Well, I knew a new notebook was not gonna get it for him, so I bought a box of 24 mechanical pencils for less than $3! He is in handwriting heaven!! Here is his scripture verse for today. He did not have room for the "s" in "things" so he moved it to the next line...that is ok. His handwriting is beautiful!! He has never done better.
Since Charlotte is older, she writes in cursive and needed to copy the entire verse instead of just an excerpt. This verse came as we read the story of Joseph this morning. I love to show them how New Testament verses support Old Testament stories.
They look forward to tomorrows copy work! I have 4, yes, FOUR, different packages from Amazon that I am expecting. One order was split into 2 shipments. New books for school. It will be like Christmas here for a few days. Today the first shipment arrived. The new computer game, Math Blasters!! Zach was pacing the floor waiting for the mailman...look at that face! Charlotte is thinking..."Come on mom, I want to see what else is in the box!"
Plus a new geography book about our 50 States. Copperswife recommended this book. On a quick inspection, it looks wonderful. A classical music CD was also in the box!
We will spend some time today enjoying the new math game and looking through our new book. Speaking of time....

Here is something I need to confess. Is it sin? Well I am sure some would say it is, but that is not the point. I am making a confession because I want accountability. I am a very poor steward of my time. Everyone in the world has been given the same 24 hours. I do not use it wisely. What is it? Am I lazy? Could be. Am I unmotivated? Could be. Are my priorities mixed up? More than likely. I have been focusing on my use of time for the past couple of days. I recently read a quote by Paul Meyer that said "Time is usually wasted in the same way everyday." This was in a John Maxwell book called "Success: One Day At A Time" The quote carries a load of truth. It would appear that my life is loaded to the second with responsibilities and that free time is non-existent. This is not true. Maybe it should be, but it is not. I have lots of minutes...hours even, that are not being used wisely. So I am focusing on my priorities. What should they be? Well I know what they should be, but what are they? For a while they have been...
1) children 2)and this is a VERY close second(maybe even 1st on some days), everything else...includes sewing, tv, reading for fun, etc. 3)home 4)husband 5)God...He is usually an "after"thought...I think about Him when I climb into bed at night, so that is a thought "after" my day.
Now don't get me wrong, I think about God during the day, and I even pray as I go about my business, but I do not give Him any of my time. I was reading this post the other day and it all hit me between the eyes. THEN I read the last paragraph of a comment left on that post and I was hit upside the head! It still stings. God is merciful and long suffering, thankfully for me. So what should my priority list look like??
1) GOD 2) husband 3) children 4) home 5) church/ministry 6) everything else.
This will seriously cut into my sewing time, but if I keep my priorities in line, I will make the most of my time. Any time spent sewing (and there will be plenty once my children grow some more) will be even more enjoyable. I need to stop thinking of the next project, planning the next fabric purchase...I have enough to keep me busy for years if I did nothing BUT sew. I did not sew a stitch yesterday, yet I smiled alot. Enough that even my family noticed. I kept my priority list in my fore thoughts.
How does this effect my blog??? I am sure it will. I will still post regularly. I do my posts in little sections over small periods of time during the day. You did not think I gabbed these long posts all at once did you??? Well I could, I am sure, but I don't. I may lose some readers. There will be less quilting to share, but so many wonderful life experiences I would have missed out on. If you are a reader I will lose, I will miss you. I will leave you with a little section of an e-mail I got today. It is very to the point and jumped off the screen at me! (thanks Melzie)
"Isn't it funny how I can be more worried about what other people think of me than what God thinks of me. "
And I KNOW God will be reading...he never misses a post!!!

14 comments:

Melzie said...

Bren, never be afraid to the point of compromising. Whats funny to someone on the outside looking in, you apologize more for quilting and blogging less than you do on big stuff like your Face of Trauma posts! Not that the one is more important, you just have 'purposed in your heart' that you've done and said the right things for the FOT posts...purpose the same in your heart now. YOU know what is right. Right for your children, and right for your time, and right for your blog. I honestly don't think you will lose one single reader. And you made me think about this also, I to waste almost all my time and give God leftovers, any wonder why I feel like HE's forgotten ME sometimes? I am the one putting the walls up. Love you sistah! xoxo melzie

Needle, Thimble and Thread said...

This week I have played more than a dozen games of old maid, braided hair a zillion times, thrown snowballs and have been hit more than I would like by snowballs, and jumped rope like I was 6 because I made the decision to limit the time I spend reading blogs and posting about quilting.

More than once I have thought about closing my blog so that I can refocus my time and energy back to my children. I have started posting once a week and am finding that come Friday,I really don't have much to say that I haven't already said to the most important people in my life.

There are quilting blogs that I should just stay away from because I find myself thinking that if my children were in school all day I could spend more time quilting. Just trying to keep up with the "quilt of the week" is making me short tempered and grumpy and I am not the happy content quilter I was when I puttered around at my own slow as a turtle quilt speed.

There will be lonely days to fill with quilting when the children have gone out into the world. When that happens I won't be able to quilt fast enough to fill the hole in my heart that will be there when my children leave home to begin their adult lives.

I'll still stop by to visit when I get a chance here and there. It's nice to hear about another mom who's on the same path as myself.

Unknown said...

I'm sure those that "know" you won't wander off Bren. I start each day with " I'll look for you in everything I see today Lord" and it's amazing how just the smallest and the most simple things brings your thoughts straight back to Him.

Dani said...

Woo-hooooo Math Blaster!!!

When I was in second grade (or so) we had this game and I LOVED it! My mom then found the newer version several months ago and my brothers have been enjoying it as well. Boy, have the graphics changed :-D

I love the wait for Amazon deliveries, it is so much fun when you hear the UPS or mail truck pull into the drive.

Dani

copperswife said...

{{{Bren}}}

Marilyn Robertson said...

You won't be loosing me as a reader Bren! I need to be challenged and inspired by what you share at times! Keep it up!

Unknown said...

It is you who decides how often and how much you blog/sew or do other things and in what order and how much time spent on each, not we who read your blog.

Mamabeanof4 said...

Good for you Bren!!!! What a wonderful post-it makes me smile!!!! I'm so glad you feel like you are doing what you are supposed to be doing WHEN you're supposed to be doing it. You will be blessed!

MrsRitchey said...

Hi Bren
I won't leave you! I go in spurts online/offline. We have math blaster...it is fun! I do hope you post on the rest of your homeschool changes! I am in the midst of coming up with stuff for next year....and I could use ideas!
Oh, and my priorities are all messed up too! ~sigh~ Probably why my house is always messy (has nothing to do with the 4 little boys running around...)

Blessings!
Monique

~katie~ said...

I've been thinking/pondering/evaluating priorities lately too! We all fall short Bren ~ especially me! I have two little ones who depend on me and I'm just think I'm beginning to figure out how to run our days!! We consistenly homeschool during the morning/early afternoon hours and eat 3 meals around the same time, but the rest of the hours I'm trying to make consisten and as useful as possible.

I can tell you that your posts have provoked much insightful thought on my part, and your ideas and words have been so encouraging!

You are a "permabookmark" for me!

Blessings Bren.
Have a great weekend!
Katie

Love Bears All Things said...

Blessings, Bren!

I am a waster of time, too. I blame it on my biological clock. It runs a little slower than some people's. I tend to do things in a plodding manner.

Now, I am a mother and grandmother. My nest has been empty for 15+ years. I will say that these years with Honey Bear have been the best of our 41 years. I live away from my family. They are in Alabama and Maryland. The nearest is still 3 1/2- 4 hours by car.

I enjoy my life but I don't use my time as productively as I could.
I am hardly ever bored. Sometimes, I'm lonely and blue but I think that is more body chemistry in disarray than any thing else.

If you post less, I'll still stop by. I will visit when I can.

Zach sounds so much like my grandson, Jordan. And I know he would love the States book if he doesn't already have it. He collects facts about them.

I'll stop now.
Mama Bear

Anonymous said...

I have done some similar reflecting on my life. I don't like what I see and am trying to change but it is a slow process for me one that I hope will be a permanent one.

I was home schooled through high school and reading your post brings back memories. I have not yet decided if I want to home school mine or not but I still have a year to think about it. My children are still very young- 3, 2, and 6 months.

Sarah said...

I will still be a loyal reader! I love your blog, Bren! I need to get my priorities straight, too. They are kind of scattered right now, but I need to make God my #1!

Angie said...

Bren, you're a huge source of inspiration to me ... and I'll continue to come back. Your posts just get better and better. I hope to actually meet you face to face someday. God is blessing you ... you have a beautiful family (though it may be rough at times ... you're getting through it and learning so much and passing that on to everyone else) and you have a multitude of friends who you continue to inspire. God is blessing us with you ... just continue to let that light of yours shine!