weekly scheduling

So, it's that time of year again when most of us feel a little-- ok, a lot-- smothered by the mounting projects, activities, clubs, and every other commitment under the sun, not to mention the laundry.  And for those of us who run on the ADD functioning of life, we can really railroad ourselves, here.  The world runs a lot more smoothly for me when I schedule appropriately and as I've shared before, using this weekly plan sheet helps me tremendously!! You could even use notebook paper the same way.  You start off by penciling in all the things you have to do in time frame you plan to do it and so on.

This may seem a bit over the top for some people, but if we look at life with the perspective that time is a gift then shouldn't we use it as cautiously and wisely as we can.  Not legalistically and not liberally, but in a balanced God honoring way.

I've been praying a lot lately about how the Lord wants me to order my days as I homeschool, write this blog, am being led to start a Bible Study, and most importantly minister as a wife and mother, among all the rest of my commitments and want to's.  The Lord has added 2 things to my schedule for the school year that I wrote 3 weeks ago... obviously I need to re-write it with better direction from Him.  Life operates a lot more smoothly for us when we operate with in a schedule and yes I do leave plenty of room with in it for spontaneity here and there... but I tell you what!! we'd never get any schooling done with out doing this.  Besides I like not feeling smothered under a pile of commitment, etc... I'd much rather move through thinking of only what I'm doing, one thing at a time.  Not that it's easy to only think of one thing at a time.  I so much more often think of what's next rather than enjoy the present.  It's like I'd always rather be doing something else, but there in lies learning the discipline of patience & self-control, which are fruits of the Spirit.  Am I willing to walk in the way  that opens my life to receive those things?  Are you?  Of course, I realize discipline with time is only 1 of the trillions of ways to receive patience and self control; and it's one of the probably millions God will give me to receive them.   And as I continue walking with God, I'm learning how to enjoy the "right now" as a gift, living in the now and not continuing to ask, "are we there yet?"  Opening the gift of the present, because all this rush and weight of stuff is but a gift so that we can learn... finally learn... to give it all to Him, so we can finally run with out the weight of this world. Freed by the grace of God.  and isn't it interesting how a God-honoring schedule is indeed part of that?