Multiplying Your Time

"For every time there is a season . . ."

Do you start your day off with a bang? Everything starts out great and then you get distracted and everything falls apart. Or perhaps you hit the snooze button 'just one more time'. You wake up at the last possible minute, throw on the wrinkled clothes or whatever smells clean, yell at the kids to get out of bed, throw a pop tart at them, scream at the 4 year old because she can't find her shoes, and then really lose it when he/she starts crying because you yelled at them.

I've had days that run along smoothly as long as I'm doing what needs to be done. The minute I check the email for more than five minutes or try to check the comments on my blogs (even thought I'm not suppose to do that until the baby's nap time) everything falls to pieces. I run out of time to fix dinner without the children screaming. I don't get all of the laundry done for the day before midnight. Bedtime gets pushed back later and later to get things accomplished.

In contrast, when I stay on task, the list gets done. I may only have one hour and have literally 25 things to accomplish. If I stay the course moving from one project to another then it will get done. I also must remind myself that if I keep my patience when something or someone interrupts my flow then God will 'extend' my time. If I remain peaceful and calm with my children and take the 10 min. with the baby when he gets up from his nap then God will 'extend' my time.

So make out your to-do list and do it. Don't get distracted by the computer or a phone call. Devote your attention to the list and to your children without losing your temper and looking at the clock constantly. God will reward you with more time than you knew you had.

Do you talk to God?

The other day I was out walking on a nature trail, talking to God, telling Him how beautiful the birds and the trees and flowers are. Just inhaling the serenity of my surroundings.(This doesn't happen often so I was absorbing as much as I could.)

I glanced over to my right and a tree caught my eye. It just jumped out at me. The tree was straight at the trunk and about a fourth of the way up it begin to curve to the left then around to the right and straight up again. The tree was as tall as the others, it simply had a big curve near the bottom of it.

Have you ever seen a tree like that? One that has grown around power lines? Or one that was curved this way and that? I would like to think you had. If not then keep a look out because they appear everywhere. I digress.

When I spotted this tree on my walk, God spoke to me. (No I'm not crazy) He explained that a tree will grow straight up but sometimes there is an obstacle in its way or sometimes it gets trimmed back by outside forces (in the case of the power lines). Does the tree continue to grow in the direction of the obstacle or the direction? No. It grows around it towards the sun. And then He whispered, "That's what you must do. You must grow around your obstacles. It will not be easy and it may hurt but you will find your way and you will stand stronger than the short, growth stunted person that you were."

All I can say is WOW. Here I was just walking along, communing with God, and He throws this life changing message my way. Have you talked to God lately? Not a formal prayer but more like a phone conversation between two friends. Perhaps all you do is pray and you forget to wait quietly for the answer. Take a moment and listen. It just may change your life.