ByGrace

photo credit: RLHyde via photopin cc Several years ago, I came across an item on Lifehacker , a web site that brings you all sorts of technological finds each day. It featured an article written for real estate agents concerning the top time-management tricks of realtors. The original article is no longer to be found, but I gleaned a few tips then from which I drafted this entry. These tips were written with career women in mind, but quite a few of them can be applied to us as homemakers, and I wanted to share with you the ones I found most helpful. 1. Turn off the tube. What excellent advice! The lady who sent in this tip mentioned that she had become "increasingly aware of how useless and inane most of the programs are." If we, as Christian homemakers, want to redeem the time the Lord has given us, we should reconsider the time we give to the tube. How much prime time (and I'm not talking about the 8-10 p.m. time slot here) do we give to this time-...

  photo credit: Hamed Saber via photopin cc Blessed is she whose daily tasks are of love, for her willing hands and happy heart transform duty into joyous service to all her family and God. Blessed is she who opens the door to welcome both stranger and friends, for gracious hospitality is a test of brotherly love. Blessed is she who mends stockings and toys and broken hearts, for her understanding is a balm to her husband and children. Blessed is she whom children love, for the love of a child is of greater value than fortune or fame. Blessed is she who dusts away doubt and fear and sweeps away the cobwebs of confusion, for her faith will triumph over all adversity. Blessed is she who serves laughter and smiles with every meal, for her cheerfulness is an aid to mental and physical digestion. Blessed is she who introduces Jesus Christ to her children, for godly sons and daughters shall be her reward. Blessed is she who preserves ...

Photo by srsphoto Proverbs 11:17 "The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh." We've flown quite often in the past 10 years or so, especially since we moved to Canada and our children have gone away to college. It's the fastest way to get where I want to be! We all sit on the plane as we wait to back away from the gate, listening (or not!) to the flight attendants' instructions concerning emergencies. One thing they always mention is, in case of loss of oxygen in the plane, to put on your own oxygen mask first, and then help any children around you with theirs. If you're not breathing, there's not much chance you'll be able to help anyone else! And so it is with our everyday lives. If we're not taking care of ourselves, we can't take care of our families and minister to those around us. I do happen to believe that many people seek to take care of their own needs first, including many ...

Wes is preaching in a Missions Conference out of town this week, and I went with him, so I'm reposting an entry I enjoyed from my first December Daily series in 2008. We'll be back on Wednesday, Lord willing! Time for Tea Art Print Buy at AllPosters.com He who kills time injures eternity . Take time to think - it is the source of power . Take time to play - it is the secret of perpetual youth . Take time to read - it is the fountain of wisdom . Take time to pray - it is the greatest power on earth. Take time to love and be loved- it is a God-given privilege . Take time to be friendly - it is the road to happiness . Take time to laugh - it is the music of the soul. Take time to give - it is too short a day to be selfish . Take time to work - it is the price of success . Unknown

The Seamstress or, Young Woman Working Have you ever picked up a new interest and in your zeal for your new hobby spent hours of time learning about it? I remember learning to play the piano. We didn't have a piano when I started taking lessons, but my teacher told my parents I would find a way to learn if I were truly interested in it. And I did! I began lessons in September, determined to learn, and my parents bought me a restored player piano with the player mechanism removed for Christmas that year. I've continued to play to this day, and the piano is still a passion of mine. Proverbs 18:1 has always intrigued me, but I never could quite grasp its meaning. As I was reading this verse one morning, I looked up and saw a commentary on Proverbs belonging to my husband, so I grabbed it and looked up that verse to see what the author, Charles Bridges, had to say about it. Here's the verse: Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and ...

I wasn't born with that gene. You know. The time management one. The one that seems to come naturally to so many people. Instead, I fight a daily battle with how to spend my time wisely and productively. So I've been reading quite a bit the past few months about time management and productivity. Over time (no pun intended), and with much reading, I've found five time-management principles that work well for me. Choose your 3 Most Important Tasks . I've used this quite often and it's made a difference in how I plan my days. I had made lists and I had prioritized my lists, but I rarely marked things off my lists. But when I found Simple Mom and her Daily Docket , it was like the light came on. I tried it, and I often use this method when there are lots of things to do and the day seems overwhelming. I write my list and highlight the 3 things that must get done. When those 3 are done, I know I've done what had to be done, and the rest of the things...

Gathering Flowers by Lynn This is the poem from which Elisabeth Elliot devised her famous "do the next thing" advice. I thought you might enjoy it, since we've been talking about time management. I haven't been able to find an author's name for this; the closest I've found is that this poem was quoted to Elisabeth by her mother. Do The Next Thing At an old English parsonage down by the sea,   there came in the twilight a message to me.   Its quaint Saxon legend deeply engraven that, as it seems to me, teaching from heaven.   And all through the hours the quiet words ring,   like a low inspiration, 'Do the next thing.' Many a questioning, many a fear,   many a doubt hath its quieting here.   Moment by moment, let down from heaven,   time, opportunity, guidance are given.   Fear not tomorrow, child of the King,   trust that with Jesus, Do the next thing. Do it immediately...

Last month I began rising early . Like earlier than I ever have in my life. And I love it. Photo by wakingphotolife The only problem is, many days I hit the dreaded Afternoon Slump. You know Afternoon Slump: you've had a productive day, things are going well. You have lunch and start back to work, and a couple of hours later it hits. You can't hold your eyes open. Your mouth is open plenty, though, because you can't stop yawning. You can't think clearly. All you want to do is go. to. sleep. Yep, it happens to me all the time. I asked my Facebook readers if it ever happens to them, and guess what? It does! For some of us, there are actual physical reasons, such as illness, and we learn to deal with those situations. But for those of us who just hit that slump, I have a few suggestions to help. :: Eat a high-protein lunch. This was the first suggestion from one of my Facebook readers. When we eat lots of carbs - say a sandwich and chips with a couple of ...

I found a book recently that caught my attention, The Country Life Book of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother . I've always had an interest in Britain's royal family, and I've especially admired the Queen Mother (who is now deceased) because of her charm, warmth, and dignity, so this book sparked my interest right away. As I was reading about her early life, the author was relating information about the Queen Mother's own mother, pictured on the right in 1923, who was apparently quite an amazing woman. She used to tell her children, "Life is for living and working at. If you find anything or anybody a bore, the fault is in yourself." What a lesson to us in these days! The Queen Mother was born in 1900, 113 years ago, yet her mother's words are still applicable today. If I find life boring, or the people around me boring, it's not their fault; it is mine! Are you bored today? Get up and live! Work at finding interesting things to do....