SCHEDULE YOUR DAY - PART 1

She rises also while it is still night And gives food to her household And portions to her maidens. ---Proverbs 31:15

I have learned that the main reason to be organized is to have more time for the important things in my life, taking care of and spending time with loved ones. The Proverbs woman rises early to prepare food for her household. She would have to be a wise manager of her time and resources for this to occur.
All my close friends and family know that early morning is NOT my best time of the day. In fact, I will do almost anything I can to keep from waking up very early. In my mind I strive for waking up early and having private devotions, sipping on tea, taking a shower, preparing breakfast, lighting a warm fire if it is cold --all before the rest of my family wakes.
So, I am thankful for this verse in Proverbs because it shows me what God thinks is important in running and organizing of my household. And whether I like it or not, I need to be up in the morning to minister to my family.
This is very difficult for me to swallow (there is a bit of confession, guilt and strong will in me here) BUT...I believe that God does not want us sleeping in in while our children get their own breakfasts and leave for school. (Yikes, that hurts to say because I am so guilty of doing this!)

Ephesians 5:15-16
"Therefore be careful how you walk,
not as unwise men but as wise,
making the most of your time,
because the days are evil"

To make the most of our time can also be translated as "making the most of every opportunity"
It suggests an attitude toward living that sees every situation as a perfect occasion to do God's will and influence others for him. During these evil days, we are to live out the goodness God has placed in us through faith in Christ.

To keep going from morning to evening caring for children and a household, you need more than just pure energy (because let me tell you that I lack a lot of energy lately).. "A woman has to feel called and motivated by God to please both God and her family if she is to succeed."

The following can help motivate you as to take another step toward becoming a more organized woman. I know that it has started to help me ....

SETTING GOALS

* Plan your days, weeks, months, years...
Let every hour count for something so that at the end of the day you have accomplished something worthwhile.

Establish your goals --WRITE them down. (The success rate for people who write down their goals is about ninety times greater than for those who don't.)

Let me share a little bit of mine:
What do I want to accomplish this day, week, month, current year.
I have separated them into different categories.

• Housework
• Husband
• Children
• Personal

One other area of goal setting that I have not done yet and would like to do soon is to set FAMILY GOALS. I would like to sit down with my family and discuss what goals they would like to set as a family.

Here is the beginning of my goals. I apologize at the poor quality...I was taking the picture at night with poor lighting. But, I hope you get the idea.


Okay...it is your turn to go and write down your goals! Come back and let me know when you have written them out.

Next Time... Setting up a Command Post. And coming up soon... Routines!