Life management. There’s a real need for it. We people living in the first world…we’ve got our smart phones, workout DVDs, microwave ovens and running water and we struggle to manage our lives among all this abundance.

We feel pressed by too many deadlines, too many commitments, too much traffic, and too much social media noise. Too many emails. Even too many clothes. Our grocery stores are so big that we can’t just “run in” for milk anymore—and they’ve put it in the back of the store, for goodness’ sake!

Today, just for fun, I made some memes to remind us of how good we’ve got it.  Here goes:

 

 

It’s absolutely true that we first-worlders have got it easy compared to many. When I lay down in bed at night I am often overcome with feelings of gratitude for a roof over my head and my soft, comfy bed. In fact, when I count my many blessings, sometimes I feel convicted by my mismanagement of God’s gifts to me. Sometimes, I squander time, food, money, relationships…

I have been given much—I should use it well (Luke 12:47-48). I am blessed to be a blessing to others (Genesis 12:2). What we are talking about here is stewardship.

STEWARDSHIP: the activity or job of protecting and being responsible for something

1 : the office, duties, and obligations of a steward.

2 : the conducting, supervising, or managing of something; especially : the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care <stewardship of natural resources>

Merriam-Webster

If you struggle to bring order to your life, what do you do? I used to conform my schedule to my family’s schedule. That worked well, until Scott’s starting time for work began to shift around. For the past two years, I’ve floated along, being SUPER flexible until my weekly schedule lost all structure. I’ve kept hope alive that this unstructured season would pass, but God has other plans. Apparently, even though he’s retiring from the military and entering private practice dentistry, my hubby will begin and end work at different times, every day. Our household routine = no routine. Thinking about this today, it really hit me:

I can’t count on any other person
to create order and discipline in my life.
That’s my job.

It’s my responsibility to steward my time well. But that doesn’t mean I can’t get a little help! I’m going back to life coach, Carey Bailey, so she can show me how to determine and prioritize my non-negotiables. I know that the Lord has created boundaries for me…I just have to find them.  Instead of living within the boundary of a strict schedule, my boundaries will begin and end with only the most important tasks. That means I will hold myself accountable while, at the same time, giving myself grace.

I know I’m not the only one struggling with schedule changes. Moms have to be flexible enough to meet family needs, but that means our needs can get lost in the shuffle. This can leave us with the impression that we don’t have enough. We feel desperately short on time, strength, hope, joy…we are overwhelmed by a sense of scarcity right in the midst of all our abundance.

Life Management = Good Stewardship
Good stewardship is the key to enjoying abundance.

If you’re ready to reclaim your joy and sense of purpose, but don’t know where to start, why don’t you join me? I’ve signed up for Carey’s e-course, Craving Time. It’s a 5-week course that gives you $325 worth of life coaching resources that you can utilize at your own pace. Carey is running a back-to-school special now, so the course is a STEAL at $22.50. I’m calling this campaign, “No Mom Left Behind!”

C’mon!  Who’s with me?