Clock Fighting

We might all have different amounts of money, health, and talents, but we've all been given the exact same quantity of time in a day. ...



We might all have different amounts of money, health, and talents, but we've all been given the exact same quantity of time in a day. Each day every human being has 24 hours to spend, no matter where you live or how old you are. There is no such thing as "free time" just like there's no such thing as free money!
If there's anywhere resistance to progress rears its ugly head it's in the realm of time. Time gets wasted, squandered, and lost, often in spite of our best efforts.
I have the privilege of writing the local history column for the newspaper here. I use the archived copies every week to pull interesting tidbits of news and gossip from the old papers. Without computers, telephones, cell phones, automobiles, vacuums, dishwashers, washers and dryers, convenience foods, microwaves, or any of our other modern contrivances, people lived full lives and often accomplished as much, or more, than the average person accomplishes today.
Of course, they didn't have the distractions we have, either. No TV, no Internet, no telephone, limited options for shopping and travel.
There are some who advocate tossing out our modern comforts for the sake of our health, our relationships, and the quality of life we lead. If you are addicted to your crackberry, or the web, or the television, you might need to fast those items to balance your life. But for most of us, the problem doesn't have anything to do with the devices that are supposed to make our lives easier, it has to do with the choices we're making with those devices, and with our time in general.
When it comes to time, we've got SCUD missiles raining down around us. (SCUD: Satan Continuously Uses Distractions.) And we aren't even aware of them most of the time. Distractions are a huge hindrance!
When my daughter was little and had to clean her room, I'd often find her there hours later, with what looked like nothing done. I called it "getting lost in the details." She'd end up picking through her dresser drawers, or sorting out her jewelry, while the floor remained buried in discarded clothing and toys and general junk.
She gets it from her daddy, who has been known (he'd deny this) to take the most minor of tasks and turn it into an all-day project. Sometimes focusing on the little things is necessary. Sometimes it's a distraction designed to keep us from completing a task. We need to be able to discern the difference.
In order to stop "clock fighting" we have to realize that the clock is not the enemy, it's our friend. If we use it wisely. If Nora Roberts can churn out five books a year (I know, I keep going back to that, because it just amazes me) what could I be accomplishing? I may not have her writing ability, but I have the same old 24 hours in a day that she has! Obviously the difference lies in what I do with my 24, versus what she does with hers.
For myself, it's time to stop making excuses and blaming "not enough time" for my failure to be a good steward over my household, to complete the assignments my Abba Father has placed on my daily schedule, or to attend to the proper care of my spirit, soul, and body. 

With that said, it's time to go exercise, and then head to the grocery. And during my two-hour drive each way, I could spend that time praying or plotting or listening to a podcast, instead of flipping through the radio stations. I could even just -- GASP! -- relax and enjoy two hours of solitude.
Okay, no more clock fighting... you are the master of the tick-tock, not the other way around!
 


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2 Comments

  1. like this one... we all need to take back "our time"

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  2. Great post. I agree, we have control over our day and our choices. Sometimes it's easier to lose time with distractions than get something worthwhile done.

    I can only speak for myself, but it's much easier for me to sit and read blogs than it is for me to sit and write a novel!

    Have a wonderful weekend!

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