Last week, I tried to plant seeds of hope in the hearts of women who don’t like where they’re headed. My goal today is to help those seeds to grow.
Here are a few more things I’ve learned along the way:
1) We’re only as busy as we allow ourselves to be. It can be very tempting to make excuses like, “Well, I have to do that,” or “This person needs me to do this for them,” or “I have to finish this by tonight.” The excuses will go on as long as we allow them, but it boils down to the fact that if we are so busy we don’t have any time for anything other than the urgent, than we’re too busy and it’s our own fault! Really look at your schedule, be honest with yourself, and see what you can cut (sports, dates every weekend, after-school events or clubs, working full time outside the home, etc.).
2) Excuses are unnecessary. People can make any excuse seem too small, but nobody can really argue with a plain and clear, “No.” Try to say something like, “Thank you for thinking of me. I think what you’re doing is a worthy cause, but I will not be able to help with it.” Keep it short, sweet, and clear. Saying “yes” or “maybe” when you mean “no” will confuse the person who asks for help. If you ask something of someone else, try to remember that they are also very busy, and don’t allow it to upset you or harm your relationship.
3) Keep God first, family second, and everything else after that. We need to keep God in His proper place. There is a problem if we regularly skip our morning devotionals. We may try to fit Bible study into little minutes during the day, but too often those little minutes became completely filled with other things. When we’re too busy to spend ten minutes a day in God’s Word, then we’re too busy! When we are truly keeping God first in our lives, our families will easily come in second, because focusing on God allows us to push our worldly cares and desires away.
4) Re-prioritizing is up to us. Nobody is going to keep our lives in order but us, and even then, only with God’s help. If we want our lives to run smoothly, we have to be the ones to make it happen. Nobody else can do it for us; it has to be our own decision, and we have to be the ones to follow through on that choice.
5) Take advice from those who love you, and ignore those who don’t. It’s important that we seek advice from people older and wiser than us who also love us. These people truly want what’s best for us, and can often see the bigger picture when we can only see what’s right in front of us. The people who truly care about us will let us know their opinions, but will also encourage us to make our own decisions. On the other hand, there are people who will give advice or say things because they want things to happen for their own gain. These people will get angry when we don’t take their advice. We have to develop a thick skin about it, do what’s right for our situation, and not worry about what the other people are saying.
6) Ask for wisdom. If we are diligently seeking God’s will, and asking Him to grant us wisdom, He will give it to us. When you don’t know what to do, study His word (which we should be doing anyway) and pray for wisdom. With God’s blessing, refuse to be a victim of your circumstances, and take charge of our own life! Ask Him to show you the way, then don’t be afraid to follow where He leads.
Wrapping it up
Every family is different; therefore, every family has different needs. If your Tuesdays tend to be terrible, then I hope that you will fully re-evaluate your life, starting today, and change what needs to be changed in order to meet the growing needs of your family and yourself, not just for today, but for always.
Davonne Parks
Speak Your Mind