Make It Count!
This week has been chaotic to say the least. A suggested and now mandated quarantine due to COVID-19, working from home, homeschooling; this week has been full of a set of new normals that there was no way to prepare for. The idea of waking up and going to the living room for work is definitely something I have envisioned in the past. I kind of like it! Who would have known it would have come in this manner. But nevertheless, we’re here and it has required some re-adjusting, planning, and strategic timing.
The Joys of Quarantine
Though we have been adhering to the homeschooling schedule and work plan, my daughter STILL has a million unrelated questions. My husband was home Friday too (insert mind blown emoji). I literally was running from the front to the back of the house trying to escape the hold they had on my life! Lol (I later put him to work as my photographer!)
In all of the chaoticness that has transpired this week, I have made a conscious effort to make every moment of this new normal count. It is difficult not to be consumed with everything that is going on currently in world news, but I have been very intentional on how I spent my minutes, hours, and days of this week. Being home throughout the day allowed me to get things done on breaks and work on me and my passions.
JUMPSUIT:
SHOES: ALDO (A FEW SEASONS AGO)
PURSE : CHARMING CHARLIES (A FEW SEASONS AGO)
No Time Left Behind
During this time of quarantine, don’t just allow time to slip through your fingers. Don’t sit idle, twiddling your thumbs, wondering about what the next move should be. This is not the time to get distracted and allow purpose to lie dormant. Now more than ever it’s time to remain active, move forward in hope, joy, assurance, and faith knowing that God is at the center of it all. Pursue your purpose; you are needed! Here are a few things I have been doing and will continue to do as the next few weeks unfold.
Intentional Prayer and Mediation
It is so easy to get overwhelmed right now. How do we manage our days now? How do we manage our time? Attempting to juggle all the balls in the air, while somehow managing not to drop one. It can be a lot and again, overwhelming. I want to encourage you, if you haven’t already, to start your morning with prayer. Acknowledging our Father at the top of my day is the most reassuring moments of my day. Right now, because a lot of us are now working from home, we can feel in a rush to get the day started as not to get behind on the emails and instant messages that are on the horizon. STOP. Take a moment to speak to and hear God respond to you concerning your day.
Prayer
I want to encourage to quiet your mind at the top of your day. Before giving your mind over to what is to come, steal away 15-20 minutes for prayer. Prayer for the direction of your day, your family, your community, the nation, the world. This a great time to start praying for others. Extending our prayers to go beyond our four walls.
I recently saw an Instagram post from Priscilla Shirer and she mentioned creating prayer jars. She writes a different group of names on strips of paper, then her and her family will select and pray for that particular group of individuals, i.e. pastors, doctors, nurses, leaders, etc. Often, we forget that others are experiencing moments that are even more dire than ours.
Mediation
Mediating on the Word doesn’t have to be a long drawn out, college study session. However, we must give attendance to the Word, so we know how to attack our days successfully. Knowing the Word provides a sense of peace, even when everything around you is shaking. When the world is shaking, we can stand steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.
It is imperative that we stay rooted and grounded in the Word right now. God allows some things to get our attention. Have we gotten too distracted with everyday life? Too distracted with our agendas and our plans, that we have strayed away from His plan!? Let’s be intentional about attending to the Word of God.
Invest in You
This week I was intentional about activating my creativity for the blog. I made time to do my make-up, time to create a photo shoot that I would be proud of. A large part of my purpose is ALLTHINGSSKG. I truly enjoy writing and sharing my revelations, thoughts, highs and lows with you all. Being vulnerable humbles me and I’m so grateful for this platform. Be it big or small, I know there’s purpose in it. The fact that I was able to steal away time for something that I love in this season...I count it as a blessing! We have to be willing to see the light in the mist of the storm. I could view this time home as a burden or as a challenge to prioritize and be more creatively productive.
I plan on making every moment count during this season. I’m not sure what tomorrow holds, but I know Who holds tomorrow. I have so much hope knowing that God is in control. Knowing that because He knows the ending before the beginning, I don’t have to worry. A few weeks ago, a song by Housefires, I’ll Give Thanks, completely wrecked my world! And in such a beautiful way. It was the assurance I needed to not get distracted with what can be the small issues in the grander scheme of life.
"So I'll give thanks to God
When I don't have enough
'Cause He's more than enough
And He knows what I need
So I'll give thanks to God
When I don't have enough
'Cause He's more than enough
And He knows what I need
Oh, He knows what I need, yes"
Don’t waste time worrying, MAKE EVERY MOMENT COUNT!
Do something that feeds you. That feeds your spirit, your mind, the deepest part of you. What have you been procrastinating to do? What has been on your to-do list for far too long? Let’s do it sis. Let’s do it!
Make these days, these weeks count. Now is not the time to do it tomorrow. Let’s be reasonable, everything can’t get done today, but not everything has to wait until tomorrow. Your purpose is attached to you making it count. I don’t think for one second, this took God by surprise. Whether it be COVID-19, or the situation that your wrestling with right now, that has you pondering decisions and your choices; it did not take God by surprise! He's not shocked nor confused.
Nothing is Wasted
God uses everything to work together for your good. Absolutely nothing is wasted with God. When I was making notes preparing for this blog post, I wrote, NOTHING IS WASTED WITH GOD. He wants us to know, that He uses even the parts of us that we deem unworthy, situations that we feel are too messy to make for Himself a glorious testimony! So, make it COUNT, GOD DOES!