Tuesday, April 23

Waste Not, Want Not

I was skimming thru my twitter feed while making dinner one evening and came across this post on Relevant Magazine about only showing the pretty parts of our lives on Instagram and Facebook. And I agree wholeheartedly--I try to be real occasionally, but I don't want to be one of those people that complains about the bad more than they give thanks for the good. And I can say that I probably won't intentionally post a picture of me with bedhead or no mascara...

Not more than 10 minutes later my 6YO daughter was helping serve the dinner plates and dumped my plate of spaghetti and meatballs on the kitchen floor...

I WISH I HAD INSTAGRAMMED IT... showing the not so pretty parts and all! :)

I gave myself bonus points for hugging her and checking her arm for sauce burns before freaking out. and I gave myself bonus points for not yelling at all ... or crying (I tend to cry over spilled anything) but then I did something I'm not proud of...

I picked those noodles off the floor and rinsed them... YES, I DID. And then I ate them because I hate to waste anything. I'm pretty stingy.

Then I thought about all the time I waste... on facebook, playing Angry Birds or other games, reading blogs with no time limit, staying up too late, watching too much TV... and I think, WHY?

Why do I hate wasting money on food, or eating out, or paper, or craft supplies, but I waste time regularly?

I know this is why my card-making hobby is just that--a hobby! It takes time and discipline to create a business plan that works.

and I know that's why my blog can be quiet for days, even weeks, at a time because I'm flinging birds instead of words.

and I know that's why as much as I want to be a morning person, it won't happen until I'm intentional about going to bed earlier.

Waste... it's why my dreams are still just dreams, because I've been complacent instead of obedient. (See this awesome post on Holley Gerth's blog for more on that)

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I don't have the answer, but I have Scripture and truth is always a good place to start.

The first one that comes to mind is Ephesians 5:16... Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. What am I doing to best redeem the time God has given me?

Then I found this one in Proverbs 18:9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster... WOW! I do not want to be known for that!!

So I did a quick bible search on waste and redeeming and it's a gold mine! Here's a few I want to remember!!

Walk in wisdom to them that are without, redeeming the time.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.

So in real life, I'm stingy with food and money and wasteful with time... How about you?

Community Conversation: Have you ever eaten something you probably should have tossed? What do you waste: time, money, food, fill-in-the-blank? Do you have any Scripture to add to the list?




3 comments:

  1. Oh love this and I have been giving a blog reading a time limit, lately!! It easy for me to read blogs more since I spend 10-15 hours in an ice rink a week, as to your cards, I am quite sure that you bless others with your cards and that is not a waste of time:)

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  2. I waste time too, but am the queen of frugality in regard to money. I've been entertaining the idea that I need to pull out the time log that I got from Amy last year at LYFE conference to keep track of how I'm using my time.

    As far as posting only the pretty parts of our lives...I've been thinking about this as well. There's a fine line between being transparent and throwing up on people (figuratively, of course). I'm not exactly sure where that line should be drawn, so I can't give you any wisdom. I know that Ephesians 4:29 says that our words should minister grace to those who hear them. God's wisdom is better than mine!! Love you, friend.

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  3. Julie,

    You said what I've been thinking. I've been working on developing my writing and am realizing all the obstacles that I allow to get in my way of productivity. I'm always telling students, "Don't waste time. Time is money, you can never get it back." Ha! I need to take my own advice. Thanks for this gentle reminder to "Redeem the time!"

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