Recently the Lord has been using MANY, MANY different people and experiences to show me what a lazy sloth I have been. I'm not going to go into how much I feel guilty and horrible about failing at motherhood because of my laziness, but just know that I have been convicted real good on this topic and have spent some time in prayer asking forgiveness.
I'm also going to point you to several links, hopefully when you have some time you'll get to read through them all. These are bloggers and friends and people who I KNOW the Lord placed in my path in order for me to learn this difficult lesson.
So yes, I have been lazy. I have made excuses why I couldn't/didn't exercise because 'my life is too busy as a homeschool Mom.' I have made excuses why my scrapbooks are 3+ years behind because 'my life is just too busy for that right now.' I make excuse after excuse after excuse ... YET!!! Yet, I ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS seem to have time to browse blogs, facebook, email, pinterest, etsy, etc sometimes for SEVERAL hours a day. I have allowed the internet {which can be a good thing} to RULE my world. See this post from Rachel at Finding Joy about how Social Media can rule your world.
I've been thinking on this for days now, and it's funny how the Lord plops many different things in front of me to solidify this conviction. Here are a few:
Take time to live intentionally ---- hmmm, guilty there, I'm certainly not being intentional with my time when the internet is sucking every minute and ounce of energy out of me!
Jessica's post about laziness in our generation because of the internet. And I quote: "Watching that show has made me think a lot recently about how hard previous generations worked all day long (I’m talking physical labor). They didn’t sit around during naptime spending two hours on Pinterest. They worked hard and then earned the right to relax."
Mindy's post about how days with her Grandma make her realize how much harder the previous generations worked. How they ironed and cooked and cleaned and took care of their home and families. Mindy says:
"i thought about how, as home makers...i truly believe that many of us have gotten lazy...and that we don't take our job seriously enough. after all...it is one of the most important and rewarding jobs on the planet."
Yesterday at church the message was amazing ... guess what it was on? WORK! You guessed it! Once again I was convicted and challenged to take a good hard look at what I'm doing with my time. The message really showed me that no matter what job you do, being a stay at home Mom or a business man on wall street - you need to take your job seriously and work at it WITH ALL YOUR HEART, as working for the LORD, not for man! {Colossians 3:23-24}
God created us to work, He gives us each unique talents and abilities to do the job He's called us to. It's up to US to do that job well, whether we get paid or not!
My final 'conviction' if you will came in the form of a little study on discipline that I'm doing right now. I mentioned it last week, it's the 5 Disciplines in 5 Weeks challenge from Courtney at Women Living Well. This week, would you believe it, the challenge is about TIME MANAGEMENT! How fitting ... wow Lord, you really know how to beat me upside the head when you know I need it!
So what does all this mean? Well as much as I LOVE the internet, pinterest, etsy, blogs, facebook, etc. It means I've got to get control over those things and not let them control me! I'm not sure yet what that means or how it plays out just yet. But just know that I will be praying about this and figuring out a better way to use my time.
The other thing it means is ::::: I need to get my BUTT moving and GET BUSY again! Stop being lazy and making excuses and START finishing those projects around the house, keeping up with my house, working hard on teaching my kids instead of just handing them the school books and letting them figure it out alone, scrubbing those nasty corners that have gotten yucky, exercising and moving my body, cooking and prepping healthy meals, doing those fun things with my kids that I always say we should do, working on those scrapbooks and crafts that I never seem to have time for, reading all those books I say I can never get to, on and on I could go! There's so many GOOD things in my life that I need to do and want to do - it's time to start DOING them!
Okay, deep breath, prayers for discipline to carry all this out and ready, set, GO!!!!!
5 comments:
I've been thinking about this lately SO much too. From a much more selfish perspective, though - when I'm not on the computer, I lose more weight! Shocking, right?! Nothing like seeing my words back at me to shake some sense into me (I mean that in a good way!). As soon as I upload my blog post for today, I'm logging off! Thanks for the encouragement. :)
Kathy,
I've been bombarded with messages of being a better mom, not being lazy and that I should be doing these things with a joy and song in my heart! I hear you, Lord, loud and clear!
"Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth." Proverbs 10:4
Over and out! ;)
Julie Rivera
I hear ya girl....this has been on my mind A LOT lately, too! Life has been a little stressful lately, and I see myself checking out a little more and more each day. Not a good coping mechanism. Thanks for the challenge to find a balance! I'll be praying for you to find your perfect balance :)
Good post! Being intentional is so important and something I have a hard time being consistent with!
I am also linking up with WLW over at http://www.hisamazingblessings.blogspot.com
I am your newest follower, I hope you get a chance to check out my blog as well!
On the same journey together!!
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