A letter came yesterday from my bank informing me that I had written more checks, and made more debit transactions than I had money to cover. In a panic, I sat down at the kitchen table with a notebook, pencil, highlighter, and my checkbook, and painstakingly went over every single entry for the past year or more. It turns out, I have not recorded 99% of my transactions for a long, long time. I forgot to record almost every single one of my paychecks, and missed recording most of my debits and record the checks I’d written, so it finally caught up with me this month, and I am THOUSANDS of dollars in trouble, including FEES for bouncing checks. None of my utility bills were paid, so I will have my water, gas, internet, and electric shut off. They also want to repossess my car, and foreclose on my house!
You’re probably wondering what the heck is wrong with me right now, wondering about how I could have possibly been so irresponsible, right? Well, I wouldn’t blame you. But, I really just told you a great big fib. hee hee
The truth is – I’m a Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University graduate, and I’ve got it all under control. That doesn’t mean I’m wealthy. It just means I’m living within my means and that my bills are paid.
But yesterday I was just sitting here thinking – because I’ve had a lot of time to just sit and think lately. (What a gift, by the way – thanks God!)
I always think about TIME, and my friend Edna and I always capitalize the word TIME and share our “ponderings” of TIME. I often believe I’m a pretty good steward of the hours in my days. But what if I recorded them? What if I actually kept track of them, like I do my money? Would I potentially learn that I’m NOT such a good steward of my TIME?
Is it possible that because I’ve not written down what I give my attention to every day, I’ve squandered more of it than I realize – just like as if I never recorded my paychecks, my debit transactions, and the checks I’ve written? Would I be wasting it in needless places, and on foolish activities? Will I need to sit back down and re-do my 2024 budget of TIME?
Sitting at my multi-purpose, favorite place in the house – my kitchen table – I made a little check-book-sort-of register to record my TIME yesterday. I began by recording a deposit of 24 hours – a deposit God made, not me. I subtracted 9 hours for sleep. (I’m a champion sleeper on days off). That left me with 15 hours. I made a quick trip to the grocery store, came home and put everything away, walked for 45 minutes, came home and showered, and then my daughter-in-law came over with my granddaughter, and we had theee sweetest visit! I did my reading for the day after that, and once I subtracted those five hours there were only 10 left.
Next, I did some laundry, straightened up around the house, prepared my uniform for work tomorrow, made my lunch and dinner, and we were now down to 8 hours left. I sat on the couch and needlessly began scrolling through Instagram, watching the latest videos from those I follow – a 7-year-old snow boarder in Idaho, a champion Irish dancer, and a few other funny reels of dogs, cats, and grandparents, and before you know it, I had not moved in 1-1/2 hours. I’m down now to 6-1/2 hours.
Then I drove to book club and by the time I got home, 3 more hours had gone by leaving me with a balance of 3-1/2 hours left. I scrolled through the TV and landed on theee dumbest show ever – “Caught In The Act,” which is not something anyone would guess I’d settle on, but I did, and two hours later, it was time to get ready for bed. Now down to 1-1/2 hours, I finally got ready and began working on next week’s Bible study, and eventually went to bed. From what I can calculate, there were about 3-1/2 hours I could have spent a little more intelligently, and dare I say – wisely.
I did a complete re-do of my financial budget before January 1st, and managed to get some of my utilities down by decreasing the temperature on the thermostat, using less water, and even made some car insurance changes. I mean – I went over it with a fine-tooth comb! But yesterday made me realize I need to do the same with how I budget my TIME. Maybe it doesn’t need actual recording in a ledger, but just being cognizant of the TIME I waste doing non-productive, down-right stupid things, might help me more wisely steward the hours God has given me. I think it might also be useful if I remembered that I am in control of my TIME, and that just like I wouldn’t hand my checkbook over to any Tom, Dick, or Harry to do with my money what they wanted – I should also not let anyone else dictate to me how I ought to spend MY TIME (emphasis added on “MY“).
Unlike my checkbook where I actually DO record my monthly deposits so that I know how much I can budget to spend – I have no idea, and you don’t either, how much TIME is deposited into our daily lives. I assumingly wrote 24 hours down yesterday while sitting at the kitchen table, but the Lord could have called me home before I ever left my chair. In fact, He could bring me home before I ever finish ….
…this blog. LOL (I’m still here.)
But we are all so guilty of living as though we’re going to wake up tomorrow, and our lives will go on as usual.
“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit” – yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:13-15
I think we could all steward our time more wisely, as well as our breaths, and our words. (Imagine for a moment if we had to budget our WORDS – how much complaining would each of us record as having been wasted breaths?)
All of these things are gifts from God. Every second and every minute of every day. Every inhalation. Every breath. Every time you exhale and words come out – they should glorify the God who gifted you with each of these moments, each of these days, every one of our breaths….
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