What's Your Perspective on Time? 

I love being on God's time...

Those are days I consider rare and mysterious, when I feel as if time stands still.

I remember very fondly, times when I would go out into my garden, and God would show up for unexpected visits. I didn't know what time it was and it didn't matter; I was surrounded by the beauty of God's creation and His presence. There was no place else I wanted to be. 

Those days are special memories I have of "time standing still." One particular day, after an extremely busy season of my life, I was out in my garden, on my knees planting flowers. I remember how my senses were heightened that morning. 

Everything, including the earth worms in the soil, to the blue jays on the fence supervising my work, spoke to me of God's simplicity displayed in such magnificence. 

I remember hearing the birds singing and I said to God, "I’ve missed you meeting me in the garden." And his simple reply was, "I've been here Mindy, but you haven't."

So where has God been waiting to meet with you lately, but you've not had time to join him?

Remember, kairos is the kind of time that we can't gauge by our clocks and calendars. It’s measured by "moments" instead of minutes, and we don't have the ability to push it, force it, or hold it back. 

Most of the deeply meaningful, memorable, difficult-to-describe moments that I treasure most in my heart, I realize have been experienced in those Kairos moments, not minutes. 

Since you can't make kairos moments happen, maybe you should be more intentional to make yourself available to God, by limiting excessive busyness. Quit trying to create your own destiny by trying to achieve more and more of what this world offers, which is so deceptive.

Don't let busyness rob you of the extra-ordinary events of life. Don't miss out on the hidden treasures which are found in the simplest, ordinary things of life. That's where you will discover true wealth and a richness that this world doesn't know of or understand.

Maybe God wants to give us a more meaningful fall, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, this year, while teaching us more about what it means to be on "His time." 

Time in a Bad Economy

One good thing about the economy being bad, is that many people have more time than they have money. Especially with unemployment so high. 

What a perfect time to simplify upcoming family time and holidays. This is your chance to exercise creativity. Make something fun out of the ordinary. Turn off the TV, bring out the candles, and turn up the romance. 

Start talking with extended family about the upcoming holidays. Decide early how you want to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas, while being sensitive to accommodate everyone's tight budgets.

Maybe this is the year you let everyone bring something for the Thanksgiving meal instead of being a Martha and thinking you have to do it all yourself.

Or possibly this is the year you decide to give tangible gifts to the children and come up with ideas of "time" together as gifts for the adults. 

Do a tea in honor of your mom... Host a Monday Night Football party for the men in your life. Invite your friends and their daughters to a Christmas tea party or a gingerbread cookie party.

Be Creative For No Special Reason

On a school morning, wake up the kids early and tell them you want to take them on a "before school" bike ride. I did this with my daughter when she was in elementary school and she still remembers those rare occasions very fondly.

Breakfast Picnic

Small children and even wives would love the surprise of a breakfast picnic. Get up, throw on your comfies, grab breakfast and coffee from the drive through, and head to a nearby park or lake for an early morning picnic. 

Kids especially love doing this if they get to be involved in the planning. Boil eggs, pack some fruit, juice, or hot chocolate in a thermos and don't forget the table cloth. It's an inexpensive "date" and it's a very memorable experience.

Evaluating Your Time

 "Everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And the door will be opened for everyone who knocks."  Matthew 7:7-8