Be Generous with Your Time; Day 81: 100 Days to Brave (Life Admin Update)

There is this current commercial with a father and a son and the son says to his father over and over, "dad, look!". I won't get into how the commercial annoys me to some level (is that dad being spiteful at the end when his son could have been hit by a car???), but I will point out the obvious:
it is often times really hard to give our time away.

Here's that commercial:

I get this reality because I live it, and sometimes, to my surprise and shock, Big Strong Man will have to interrupt me from my thoughts because one of our three sons has been calling for me to "come, look!", and I didn't even hear him; It's white noise.
The draw to look and see everything, to stop what I am doing, to move closer to him, to get down and play, read, snuggle, it all demands time.

And I want to be generous with my time.
Generous to others.
To myself.
To my family.
And to God.

So, what does that look like, exactly?
It is stopping to talk with my neighbors, who are very kind, but English is their second language so it can be really tricky to understand and be understood by them, and this requires patience and creativity.
Or my other neighbors who also have three boys and when our six are together I find that I am constantly having to remind someone not to throw something somewhere or at someone because of something I have already said to everyone.

And it looks like getting up from my computer and closing it when the children are home. Prioritizing board games over tv at night, and long good-nights as opposed to short "go to bed-s".

It means that I know my limits so I learn to say no, I take a nap, and I welcome "bonus time" with open arms!

--BONUS TIME: Those hours you had set apart 

for an activity which is cancelled 

at the last minute and thus offering you 

free, extra, or BONUS TIME.--

This also extends to my time with God. When I am generous, willing to sit and wait on Him, He comes. He blesses that time. And I know it because I walk away EVERY TIME knowing that I had a moment with the One True God, and it changes me. 

I confess, the waiting is often hard for me because I covet time. 

I covet getting things done and my wanna-be superpower is to somehow make 12 hours of work fit into 3 hours of reality. 

And I blow at it. Like, suck so bad. 

But I am getting better. 

And so much of this is about getting better with my time. 

Letting the other driver move first at the stop sign. 

Letting the five people with 10 items or less in line before me when I have an overflowing cart filled. 

Allowing someone to talk about what is on her mind and not trying (too hard) to find an excuse to get away.

I love that Annie reminds us that time is God's. He gave this to us. 

"God exists outside of time. Isn't that crazy? He doesn't exist in our little timeline, and the time He's given us was created by Him and belongs to Him." (emph. mine)

Be Brave: 

Take an hour this week and serve someone else.

Today is filled with Bonus Time. My schedule looked overwhelmingly full last night and it was interrupted late last night by a child, puking. Today has been transformed, and instead of sweating it, I am utilizing this time. This bonus time, to prioritize what needs to be done. 

I have been given all this extra time, and I would love nothing more than to know I used it well. 

How about an update on my Decluttering/Life Admin? 

Decluttering and making way for a Yard Sale. Thus far I have hit-up the:
playroom, boy's bedroom, kitchen, game center. 

My next moves include: ALL CLOTHES, SHOES, and ACCESSORIES; electronics, and toiletries. 

***

On Life Admin Day #1, I unscrewed the outside flag and finished packing-up the Christmas decor, fixed my homemade Magnolia wreath, taped-up the children's Bible which was falling apart, did some meal planning, scheduling, and tried to get to the canvas art I am working on. 

**

Today: called a seamstress to -finally!- repair my favorite dress, paid off a ton of bills, made a lot of calls, and am chasing down a rebate. Finally made an eye doctor appointment. Getting things done. Crossing off lists. 

Plus, BONUS, I am getting this Life Admin update finished, starting the process for my PASSPORT, and making sure to spend fun time with the two Littles, who are presently napping. 

More photos and updates to come!

Following along with Muchelleb and I as we do our 2019 RESETs.

In case no one has told you, I love you. 

Go, kiss the ones you love,

and have a wonderful day!