Time- The Weed of

Good Morning!

As I write you this morning, this fish tank gurgles behind me and my cat meows at the door. My tea is still warm and I can hear the soft breathing of my son in the adjoining room. I am looking forward to the sunrise this morning and yet I am also content in the peace this morning contains. As I pondered the below bible verse. my mind saw a new thought in the words and my heart became excited.

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; ..."

-Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 ESV / 255

I was in the garden and the weeds were coming back again! I pulled and pulled. Dripping with sweat,covered in dirt, and exhausted, I sat contemplating these little annoyances. I planted tomatoes. I love tomatoes. I love the deep rustic aroma of the plant and the fresh scent of the fruit. I want my tomatoes to grow big, healthy and strong in flavor. If  I leave the weeds to grow my tomatoes may not get the most and best the soil has to offer because it will share with the weeds.

It occurs to me, what a huge resource time is. Think about the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen, Maybe a waterfall in Costa Rica, the beaches of the Caribbean, Your daughter's Wedding Day, any scene that touches you in some way is perfect. Close your eyes and remember it. Yes, thats it! That is the thing we were made for- honoring God’s creation. But who has the time? I am sure someone does, but not me. I spend my day in a hurry to get to work, or desperate to find childcare. I spend my days planning the laundry for tomorrow and frustrated that yet another day has passed and I did not work out!

There is only so much time, which I want to spend loving the beautiful children God brought in to my life, fostering peace, and kind heartedness in this world, and spending time with a our glorious God. I do not want to spend it waiting in lines, fighting with a neighbor, in frustration, hurrying past the sunrise or sunset. So, to go along with the theme of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8  it’s time to do some weeding in my life.

I start with a question: What are the weeds that have grown into my life and suck out my time?

Here is my list.

1) Stopping for coffee instead of making it at home.

2) Staying up late on my phone, or facebook, and then running late in the morning. I wake up tired and have to survive my day. Which includes stopping for coffee because I didn’t have time to make it before I rushed out the door.

3) Going to events. Okay every now and then an event is okay, but I need to say “No Thank You” more often, and just stay home to slow down the pace of my life and breath.

4) Meetings. Meetings can be important and beneficial, particularly when they are coupled with an opportunity for learning and growing. Meetings can also suck productive time from your schedule.

A great book for this topic is My Best Yes by Lysa TerKeurst,

5) Limit computer time.

6) Delegate chores or tasks and ask for help.

You might be able to name some more. feel free to list them in the comments, it might help others.

What I found by eliminating most meeting and events is that I spend at least one full day every weekend home. By lowering computer time and committing all electronics off by 9:30pm, I am able to get the sleep I need to start my day off with energy, a better attitude, and make my coffee.

There was something that I said at the beginning of this blog, I said “As I pondered the below bible verse my mind saw a new thought about the words and my heart became excited.” Let me explain. All my life I have hated pulling weeds, it’s exhausting and just not fun. In weeding out the things in my life that drained my time, I had to tell people “No”, it was not fun either. I realized that there comes a time to weed, A time to do the work that prepares that crop for harvest. I can’t say that I like to weed, but it sure is easier when I envision the harvest.

-Kristen Muenzer, The Contented Heart