Personalizing Your Schedule ~ Part 1

Joyce Meyer is noted for telling the story about feeling overwhelmed with her very busy schedule and how she was complaining to the Lord about it. She tells furthermore, of how in the midst of her quandary, He quickly responded back to her with “Well, don’t complain to Me about it! I didn’t make your schedule - you did!” Almost immediately, the crowds break out into laughter, as does Joyce, because everyone can relate!

Scripture tells us we will stand before Him one day, and give an account. Certainly, that includes our time.

It makes one think, doesn’t it? While we do not know all the days that He has planned for us, we do know the necessary tasks that must be done in order to sustain our flow, and the activities of daily living. Or do we?

Busyness can remove clarity from our sight in an instant! For some, in the midst of their circumstances, it may be the momentum of “maintaining” or “surviving” that is keeping it all together! Others may have simply lost sight of the “necessary” items, and sacrificed them for other deeds and “responsibilities” that were, perhaps, never even theirs to carry in the first place!

Then again, our memories may be good, but just short, and in the shuffle of activity we forget. It could be that it needs to be made more tangible; that it just needs to be written down, so that one can actually see and work through the list. Learning styles and personalities can make a big difference in the approaches taken, when it comes to scheduling, housework, and routines! For example, goal-oriented people love to see a list with checkmarks or lines stroked through, in order to feel they accomplished their “to dos” for the day. (You many want to find out what “personality types” are in your household, and what their learning styles are. It may just give you some new inspiration regarding approaches to the tasks and the motivation to do them! There are some great books with a more Christian-based approach that are available on the market.)

It could be the simplicity of implementing routines to change a “scattered” approach to life and work, which is needed. For those with illness or random care-giving duties, this may be harder to pinpoint, but the idea is to have a starting point, so there is strength to tackle the day.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil 4:13 KJV)

But, what are all the things?

The secret to finding out what the "all things" are, is found by identifying your own personal and household schedules. It is the undisclosed, secret weapon of “knowing” what needs to be done and when. It will give added fuel, strength, and clarity as to fulfilling the tasks, and will aid you in “keeping it all together”.