What would your day (or week or month) look like if you decluttered it? Maybe it's not just time for us to declutter our homes but our calendars too?
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There are so many great things available for us to do. But what if the only things demanding your time were those you really needed and really wanted to do?
I have a sneaking suspicion that it. would. be. lovely.
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Sure, we need to work, we need to eat, we need to wash our clothes. But really, what would you do with your time if it was only those few things you actually needed to do?
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My personality tends to become easily overwhelmed, so I've focused on living fairly simply with my time. I can handle a busy day and probably a busy week, but any more than that and I'm just about off my rocker. This requires not doing things. Even good things, noble things.
Personality trait or not, culturally we're just not used to decluttering our days. We "need" to say yes and yes again and pretty soon our days are so full we wonder where the weeks went. Or where our lives went.
I desperately miss coffee break twice a day in Germany. Or a friend just stopping by for tea. Relationally, emotionally and physically, this rest was so refreshing. And there was time in our lives for that.
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Instead I am busy, you are busy, your friends are busy and weeks and months slip by and still you haven't made time for each other. They say "we need to get together!" and never actually do it.
I don't want my life to slip away from needless busyness.
I want to be able to say "no" purposefully whether or not I have a "good excuse" - just protecting your time is enough of a reason to say no.
I also feel slightly shy writing about this because as I write I am putting in part-time hours at our church for the summer to allow another girl to go on a mission trip, I'm babysitting, teaching piano lessons and running my shop. I have projects up the wazoo to work on (although most are soul-food), all while trying to keep a clean house, meals on the table and be a full-time wife and mommy.
Some seasons of life are busier than others. I think we recognize this. But, like I said before, I just don't want to end up at the end of my life and wonder where the time when. Or have a 16-year old daughter before I know it.
Our time is so precious - a gift from the Creator. Let's use it doing what we really need and want.
(My conclusion on this simplicity series coming tomorrow.)
