Making Time

“You don’t find time. You make it.” Ok, but what does that mean? How can we understand the expression, “making time,” within a Lutheran vocational context? Dare we ask, “What does this mean?”

Vocation is great. It’s a way to better comprehend our situation, our relationships, and what is expected of us.

Hey. You. I don’t expect you to actually make time. Making time in that literal sense falls under only God’s job description.

You and I go about the days God has prepared for us. We may be spouses, siblings, employers, parents, etc. We tend to what we’ve been given. Every day we assess opportunities in front of us—opportunities being gifts rather than inherently obligations. In short, we give and take.

Part of taking? Rest. Receiving help. Good stuff. Others can only give if others take!

By the way, Google helps me rest. I type a little and it gives. Thank you, Google, for teaching me that benefit from technology. (No, Google isn’t a vocation. No, googling does not sufficiently fulfill your vocations! ;))

In our schedules, we’re often encouraged to make time for ourselves. Again with this “making time” business.

My latest thought is that, if I just keep doing, more time will present itself. Hear me out. If I stay on top of the dishes, keep the kids sweeping the floors, and homeschool in a relationship way, look. Suddenly I’m helping my husband, tending the kids, and may even get to bed early.

Days don’t really go like that. Things eat up time. I’m not actually on top of the kitchen or household chores, for example, and 30-minute meals repeated fail to take lost minds into account.

So let’s try an experiment. Let’s attack the time-eaters between our various tasks. Sure, we want to rest a bit here and there, but, for now, let’s not. Let’s put off those little bits and pieces until we actually can rest or tend to ourselves.

God gives us time. God gives us more opportunities than we realize. We are the ones slow on the uptake. We are the ones who sloosh time out of our cups without noticing it.

I’m not trying to burden you. No need to experiment with me. Seriously. But just maybe we make time by prioritizing our vocations and suddenly realizing God has provided even more than we needed to do so!

A Grand Vocational Experiment

To summarize. I’m putting myself into my own grand vocational experiment. I will:

• (Give the littles attention early, resulting in them being less needy later)
• Shorten transitional time between tasks/obligations
  • A two-minute sit will not really help me, personally
  • Trying to motivate myself may not be worth it. I should just face the unwanted task at hand.
• Try to be upbeat for whatever is up next
• See about gaining maybe a 45 minute chunk in the evening

I may or may not set timers to shorten my cleaning times. One random something-or-other told me it takes longer to motivate oneself to unload the dishwasher or fold clothes than it does to actually do the tasks. So a timer can help. (Except my children break and lose all my timers. Hmm.) Still, the concept! Let’s try out the concept! 🙂 And, doing so in a vocational manner, means taking into account that we can try to do our best in our own unique circumstances!

Are you in? What do you think? Feel free to comment along the way.

God is making time. He makes time for you and me, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ sits next to Him, watching over all of it. Thanks be to God!