Turn! Turn! Turn!

Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.

This was the subject of our ladies' Sunday school lesson today.  I'm telling ya, this book - The Resolution for Women - it has got wisdom in it, people! I'm really enjoying this time where our teacher's wife - Nicole - has been sharing with us from this book.  She's a great teacher - and a great blogger.  Check her out at Matters of a Mommy's Heart.

Anyway, as always, I left Sunday school reflective about what I'd learned and eager to "blog it out".  What does that mean?  It means, I've got some moments to myself where one kid is napping, one is having a quiet time with a movie, and a husband is quietly watching TV on the coach, so I have time to think!  The following is my thought process. In English teacher land, we call this stream of consciuosness writing.  Sorry.  This type of prose often is confusing, but it is most helpful for the reflective author ;-)

So, we were presented with this activity where we take all the responsibilities of our lives and put them into "boxes". Then, we had to color in the boxes to the level of time and effort we invenst into those boxes (responsibilities).  So, here are my boxes...

Box #1 Relationship with God (i.e. quiet time) 10%
           That is, I spend about 30 mins every morn with God before everyone awakes.  I'm better about this - surprisingly - when school is in session.  My life has more of a routine then.

Box #2 Relationship with Husband (i.e. time with him really communicating) 10%  
            Shameful percentage, yes, I know.

Box #3 Relationship with Children 50%
           My life is primarily about them and their needs right now. 

Box #4 Housework 5%
            People often say, "I don't know how you work full time and manage everything, Jamie."  Well, this is how.  My house is well... let's just say, we LIVE here. ;-)

Box #5 Work/Teaching and Coaching  50%
           When school is in session and I'm there, it's game on.  I consider this a mission field, so it does get a lot of me.  

Box #6 Church 5%
            Really, I don't think I"m over committed here.  I enjoy attending worship and Sunday school.  My only responsibilities are to being a room mom for two rooms - which is not that hard - and during the summer, I help out Wednesday nights.

Box #7 Friends 5%
           I'm a bad friend to have.   I don't keep in touch as much as I should. I'm better about it during the summer, but things kinda fall to the wayside when school starts. 

Box #8 Me  10%
           I strive to have me time as much as possible.  It's hard to carve that out, but I do make it a priority, kinda. ;-)

humm....  those percentages don't really add up well, do they? LOL 

The last part of the exercise asks... "Compare these boxes and prayerfully consider if your priorities reflect God's intentions for you in this season of your life."

Well, I am out of wack with my priorities.  Every now and then, it's good to take a step back and look at what isn't working and figure on how to fix it.  However, even better is taking the time to ask God what I should be doing and how to fix it so His priorities are my own.

I CLEARLY need to do that... now.  So, I'll leave you with this....

When I think of the bible verse in Ecclesiastes that I posted above, this song gets stuck in my head.  Here's to annoying you with it too!