I love calendars! I have several hung up around the house to enjoy their
beautiful photos of barns and birds and lighthouses – some of my favorite
things – and I keep a large appointment-type calendar at church for all my
church planning. Since I am an organizer by nature, it’s fun to fill in
the dates with both routine and special events.
Do you ever wonder what the year will bring as you open a new calendar?
It’s really a clean slate, full of opportunity. You might block out dates
for days off, vacations, camps or camping, concerts or sporting events, or
write yourself reminders. Many people write in birthdays and
anniversaries. Sooner or later you’ll need time for those medical
appointments too.
Calendars tell us lots of things. If mine becomes too full of black ink
and no white space, I know I’m in trouble and I’d better hold back or I’ll
get sick. If I see only work and no time for family and friends or
volunteer time, I might need to prioritize. If I see several days in a
row open, it might be a great time for a special project or visit.
Granted there are some months that are more intense than others, but I
have found it very healthy to look at each month as a whole every once in
awhile and measure how healthy a balance I have created.
While I love to plan far ahead, I have also learned to be flexible. We’ve
rescheduled a Christmas celebration 3 times now with my sister, so the
calendar gets messy with changed plans. When a funeral comes up at Salem,
that takes priority and other things are shifted. When illness comes, you
do what you can and leave the rest for a while. When work schedules
change you breathe deep and try to adjust.
I try to use my calendars as a tool but sometimes they can become a
tyrant. Constant demands make you feel like you need to escape. I was
told once you say “yes” very easily when you are in your 20’s. In your
30’s you begin to choose when to say “yes”, in your 40’s you have learned
the word “no”, and by your 50’s you don’t feel bad at all saying it!
There are so many things wanting our time, most of them very worthwhile,
so it is hard to choose.
Do you think God can be Lord of your calendar? We ask God to be Lord of
our lives.
We say we want to follow God’s priorities. When I get overwhelmed with
too much to do or have an open space of time and am deciding what to do, I
find it helpful to talk it over with God in prayer, asking him to help me
sort things out and give me a push in the right direction. Some things go
on the calendar without question for me. I am committed to worship and
rehearsals and meetings; they are both my work and my priorities. I would
love to fit in time to learn quilting and do more traveling, but most of
the time neither time nor money permits….maybe another year or another
time in my life.
As you put away your 2009 calendars and start filling in 2010, why not
pray and ask God to help you fill in the most important things first.
Decide what you are committed to and what your goals are. Be flexible but
try to keep the spirit of your decisions alive. Trust the Lord to be with
you through each month and all it will bring, good or bad. Know you have
partners in faith to support and care for you through all the challenges
and joys to come. Value your gift of time and use it to bless those
around you.
God’s peace in 2010,
Carla Vanatta, Associate in Ministry
Salem Lutheran Church
Salem reminders:
Worship services at 5 p.m. Saturday and 8:00 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday.
Patti Beamsley, Scott Graves, and Rod and Marty Oehlert will share their
experiences from the November Katrina Relief trip at the 9:15 a.m.
hospitality hour in Fellowship Hall this Sunday and Sunday School classes
are offered for all children and youth age 3 through high school.
Salem High School Youth will lead 10:30 GRACE worship.
Mark your calendars for Jan. 24th lunch and annual meeting.
No comments:
Post a Comment