A common conversation I find myself having with family and friends is about how quickly time is passing.

With the threat of Hurricane Florence recently, my husband and daughters were off of work and school for almost a week.  Looking back at that week when it was over, my husband and I talked about what we did (and didn’t do!) with that unexpected “free” time.  He shared with me this quote from legendary basketball coach John Wooden.

“Make each day your masterpiece.” 

I’ve been thinking about that ever since.  It’s so easy to just let a day go by without being intentional about how you spend it.  We can purposely fill our hours with what’s important to us, or we can just let the day drift by with no purpose.

Obviously there are certain tasks that must be done.  But even in those daily must-do’s, we can choose to focus on making the hours meaningful.

Here are seven ways we can work to create a masterpiece each day.

1. Remember that a masterpiece is made up of many small strokes.  Here and there we have days with big, bold wins.  You get a promotion at work, receive a random, heartfelt note of love and appreciation from your teenager, or finally meet a longstanding personal goal.

But most days are full of lots of little strokes.  Things like rocking a baby to sleep, slipping a love note into your husband’s pocket, or lighting a candle while you clean up the kitchen after supper.  Maybe you listened to a play-by-play account of your son’s school day, played Candy Land for half an hour, or wrote out a Bible verse to post on the refrigerator door.

None of these tasks seems like a big deal.  But put them all together, and those little moments become the building blocks of a life well-lived.

2. Do your best at every task you undertake.  Whether it’s making the bed, packing lunches, or washing the car, do the best you can at every thing you try.  Colossians 3:23 says, “ And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men…”

I’m not a five-star chef nor the most efficient housekeeper, but I can get a healthy meal on the table and run that vacuum cleaner with the best of ’em!

3. Realize that God’s given you the skill to produce something beautiful.  He gave you a spouse to encourage and made you the parent of your children.  You are His creation and lovely in His sight.  Yes, you will sin and fail, but He will forgive and restore.

You were created for a purpose.  As long as you’re here on the earth, there is something meaningful God wants you to do.

4. Be kind.  A masterpiece can be marred by ugly strokes.  One day last week, I got angry when another car cut me off in traffic.  I was frustrated and blew my horn – then hoped no one I knew was around because I was so embarrassed!  I’m not saying there’s never a time to blow your horn, but I just let my frustration get the best of me.

We teach our children Ephesians 4: 28, and it sounds so simple.  “And be ye kind one to another…”  But I definitely need the Holy Spirit’s help to live that out every day.

5. Take time for God.  It sounds so basic, but isn’t getting to know God better about the most important thing we can do today?  Carve some time out of your day to find a truth about God to meditate on.

I’ve started using a daily audio Bible app on my phone so that I can hear the Bible read out loud.  Since I’m already in the habit of listening to podcasts, this fits right in to my day.  It’s just another way to take in God’s Word.

6. Use your time wisely.  I don’t think this means every moment has to be full of stuff to do.  It can be extremely life-giving to sit on the porch and watch the sunset.  But surfing the Internet mindlessly or sitting in front of a television for hours can leave you feeling empty, knowing that you wasted time.

Just be intentional with the time you’ve been given.  Ephesians 5:15-16 reminds us, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.“

7. Focus on right now.  You can’t change the past.  You can’t foretell the future.  Set goals and make plans, but do what you need to do today to grow in your walk with God and show love to others.

God gives us a blank canvas each morning.  Let’s fill it today with beautiful brush strokes, for His honor and glory.

Related posts:
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Asking God to Orchestrate Our Days

Have you ever taken a personality test?

I hear a lot about them these days.  Frequently, on podcasts I listen to, the host or guests will proudly proclaim that they’re an Enneagram 7 or an ENFP.  And I’m certainly a fan of learning not only what personality type you are, but also the personality styles of those around you.

Better understanding our children’s personalities has guided my husband and I as we instruct and discipline them.  We know that one daughter responds best to clear, direct communication.  She doesn’t care about a gentle approach, nor does she have time for long-winded explanations.

While I’ve taken a personality test before, I didn’t need one to tell me that I’m an introvert.  I enjoy being around people, but I recharge by having alone time.  And when it comes to entering new social situations, I have to force myself out of my comfort zone.

Now, if you’re an extrovert, you may not relate to anything in this post, but perhaps it will give you insight into how the rest of us feel!

If we’re going to a social event, most of us realize that it will be more enjoyable if someone we know is going to be there.  There’ll be someone to talk to, and we won’t awkwardly stand around looking lonely.  And that’s all fine and good.

But sometimes good things happen when I’m a little uncomfortable.

Several months ago, I attended a wedding with my daughters.  There was a fairly large crowd, and we knew some of the guests.  When it came time for the sit-down dinner reception, my girls split off with friends, and I was on my own.

By the time I got my food from the buffet line, many of the tables were full.  In the large room, I didn’t want to wander around looking for someone I knew in hopes that there was an empty seat at their table.

I spotted a table with a few empty chairs, and just sat down by myself.  On impulse, I introduced myself to the lady on my left.  She was a friend of the groom, was from out-of-state, and we ended up having the most interesting conversation!

This woman was an elementary school teacher (which I used to be).  She also happened to be from the area where I attended college.  We talked and talked about all kinds of things, and didn’t leave the table until it was time to say farewell to the newly married couple!

That whole experience was a blessing!  It reminded me that I need to be more intentional about stepping out of my comfort zone.  (By the way, this post is not at all intended to brag on myself!  Most of the time I get so self-focused that I forget about trying to bless anyone else.)

Sometimes, if I know I’m going into a situation like that, I try to remember to pray and ask God to lead me to just the right person He would have me interact with.  It might seem like a small request.  However, I believe that God will put me in the path of someone I can fellowship with.  Even when people I know are around, it can be a blessing to reach out and make a new friend.

So the next time we introverts head into a new social situation, let’s ask God to lead us in where to sit or who to talk to.  This incident made me want to be more mindful of noticing someone who doesn’t seem to have anyone to talk to.  Rather than focusing on my own pleasure, I can see if there’s a person nearby who could use some conversation.

You never know when you might make a new friend ~ and get a blessing for yourself in the process.

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You’ve probably heard the old saying, “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.”  It reminds us that while someone else’s situation may look better than ours, that’s not necessarily the case.

Looking across the fence at someone else’s yard, we see only the positives.  Their grass is healthy, lush, and green.  We glance down at our yard, and notice the brown patches and weeds.  In our own yard, we see only the negatives.

We see the mom with her well-behaved children, especially the teenage daughter who seems to adore her.  (Okay, that’s what I notice these days, ha!)  Her house is decorated, inside and out, in a Pinterest-perfect way.  And not only does she homeschool her children, she also manages a non-profit, brings homemade desserts to every church potluck, has weekly date nights with her husband, and runs five miles a day!

Then we look at ourselves, breaking up fights between our children as we throw peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches into a plastic grocery bag for our kids’ school lunches.  Dirty dishes are piled high in the sink as we herd everyone to the car.  The laundry basket is overflowing, we’re driving to school in our pajamas, and the only exercise planned for today is scrubbing the shower.

We may think that other mother has it all together, but I can pretty much guarantee that’s not the case.  Her life, from the outside, may look perfect, but she’s likely struggling, in some way, as we are.

I like how Emily P. Freeman takes the truth of this saying to another level.  In her book, A Million Little Ways, she says “There are no greener grasses, only different lawns.”

I’ve previously written about comparison, and the dangers that come with it.  Yet it’s good to be reminded that each of us is planted in a different place.

God has put each one of us in the exact situation with the specific set of circumstances He wants us to have.  Do our foolish choices sometimes impact that? Yes.  But God is bigger than our mistakes, and He can grow us exactly where we are.

When we’re tempted to think that someone else has an easier life, a more loving husband, or better-behaved children, chase those thoughts away.  Don’t let comparison make you feel that others are so much better off than you are.

The opposite can be true as well.  For example, we may look at a parent who has a disabled child and think, “How hard their life must be.”  Yet God can give them the grace, peace, and joy they need to flourish in that relationship.  They may experience far more blessings than we could even guess.

None of us can see from our current vantage point what God is doing in the lives of others.  Just like He has a plan for us, He has a plan for them, too.

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” ~Philippians 2:13

Instead of wanting someone else’s lawn, let’s accept ours.  Let’s thank God for what we have, then set about to accomplish His purpose right we are.

Be content.  Get so busy cultivating your own grass that you don’t have time to focus on how your neighbor’s grass is growing.

With God’s help, do the best you can in every area of your life.  Then trust God to make your “lawn” all that He would have it to be, for His honor and glory.

Related posts:
4 Lessons on Contentment for the Wise Woman
How to Teach Our Kids to Be Content
I Can Be Happy for You