Monday, November 29, 2010

Challenged by the Calendar

As I survey the train wreck that appears to be my schedule for this week, I begin feeling a bit flustered. My fluster(ation) mixes with a dash of fear, a sprinkle of stress, and a heavy helping of over-commitment. My temperature bubbles to a slow simmer.

I crack open our squeaky mailbox and notice a postcard stamped, “Report for jury duty Monday.” At this moment, the firecrackers shooting through my veins ignite any spiritual fruit that may have been growing and kill it.

I huff, puff, and kick up the snow as I march back into the garage. I crinkle the unwanted mail in my fist and think, “I need this week to be easy and it’s not going to be.”

There is Christmas shopping to do, bills to pay, cleaning to pick up, and now a court case to attend. The to-do list that used to be neatly tied up in a perfectly sectioned bow quickly unravels into a knotted monstrosity. One little pull from just the right string and the whole thing unravels.

Did you notice all the personal pronouns above?

My emotions,

My stress,

My shopping, and

My schedule?

Do you see the presence of God in this at all? Or do you see someone enslaved by her calendar?

In order for us over-extended mammas to maintain a God-centered perspective, we must ask ourselves, “Who are we serving?" Our ‘to-do’ list or our Jesus?

It’s unfortunate, but sometimes our well-meaning selves are more concerned with keeping our schedules than keeping Christ in the center of them.

This time of year, it’s easy to be tempted. We are tempted to become more in touch with ourselves and out of touch with Jesus.

The Bible says we are to have the following attitude when it comes to our calendars:

“What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil, James 4:15-16 (New Living Translation).

The question isn’t what are we going to do, but what is God calling us to do? What does God want on our calendar? When is God calling us to say “no” and when is He calling us to say “yes?”

So, how do we make adjustments in our sometimes worldy calendars?

We begin praying and thinking - we begin “prinking!” We prink, prink and prink some more. We think about God’s Word. We pray we will live it out loud. We pray that we will step away from the wreckage of a capsized day and He will be glorified because of it.

Think about your week for a moment.

Are you drowning in the pitfalls of tomorrow so much that you are missing what God has for your today?

Is your calendar reflective of the call of the gospel? Or is your schedule all about you?

So sweet sisters, the next time we decide to pencil something in, let’s ask ourselves, “Will what we’re about to schedule bring us closer to God or farther away from Him?”
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7 comments:

  1. I want everything I do to bring me closer to God, not push Him farther away. God needs to be the center of all. Thanks for this post.

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  2. Great post! Our schedules should reflect that of a woman after God not just a busy woman. I want God to be the center of all I do every day. Thank you for posting.

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  3. My schedule is rarely all about me... however, the groaning over my schedule IS all about me! I am just trying to just work at all as if working for the Lord and not for man (Col.3:23). That really seems to change my perspective. It's a constant process that's for sure! "Prinking," I like that... it's the only way to truly make your yeses, "yes" and your nos "no." Love the way you "Prink" :)

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  4. Stopping by to thank you for sharing my plans for a mom cave :) Once I actually find one and get it decorated, I hope all you precious "Mothers on Mission" writers will join me for some great coffee and girl talk!
    This is a beautiful post - "Are you drowning in the pitfalls of tomorrow so much that you are missing what God has for your today?" I hear ya there! Just remember to breathe...and pray...breathe...and pray....repeat as necessary :)
    God Bless you!

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  5. I often get sucked into the belief that my schedule is important and everythig HAS to get done. Several years ago I read a good way to start your day is to ask the Lord...How can I serve You today? When I remember to do this, my day seems to go smoother because my perspective is right. Great post!

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  6. Needed that reminder especially at this busy time of year...I want to soak my kids in the real reason for Christmas by attending events that are focused on Jesus...but too much of that sort of thing can still be too much...even though it's good!

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  7. I think my week is looking a little better after hearing about yours :) Thank you for the Godly perspective...Laura

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