Hello everyone! I'm so glad you've joined me during this rather difficult time we're living in. If you're like me, you've been receiving a ton of emails and posts all regarding how schools, churches and businesses are dealing with the Coronavirus and the quarantine, so I appreciate you taking the time to visit with me today. I pray you are all staying well and will continue to stay well.
As a stay at home mom for the better part of 30 years, not much has changed for me, except more people are home with me and grocery shopping has become more challenging. If you are a stay at home/work at home (same thing) mom/dad, empty nester or retiree, you may already know how to use your time wisely at home. But, there may be some of you, who find yourself binge watching shows, oversleeping, spending extra time on facebook, twitter, instagram, snapchat, etc., playing video games or any other number of time devouring activities. I wanted to give you some ideas which may help you make this a quality quarantine. A time not only to stay safe, but a quality time of self-improvement/family-improvement.
Of course, many of us still have a job/work to do, but with commuting times out of the picture and other outside of the home activities cut out, we all have extra time on our hands. If you and your family are healthy and well, see if some of these ideas will help you make the most of these unusual days. Sometimes we just need a little motivation. I hope this post gives you the push you've been needing.
1. Prioritize
What is most important to you? For me the top three are:
1. My relationship with the Lord.
2. My relationship with family.
3. My writing and writing related work.
Now, each of these have subcategories such as:
1a. Read Bible with family.
1b. Personal Devotions
1c. Prayer
1d. Service
I won't go through my whole list of priorities. You need to make your own. Maybe you don't want to write them down, at least think about them.
2. Develop Routines (for now and later)
Think of the areas of your life that haven't been working well. Maybe this whole cooking at home thing is throwing you for a loop. Maybe the laundry is your nemesis. Maybe the housework seems like a monster you must slay or run and hide from. Maybe getting out the door on regular mornings is a daily stressor. Whatever it is, you have a chance right now, to think these things through, come up with routines, practice them, hone them and find what works for you and your family.
3. To Do List
Just about everyone I know has a to do list. No one ever seems to be able to catch up on this endless list. Home projects, housework, spring cleaning, repairs, books you want to read, whatever it is, now is your chance to put a dent in that list. Get your family involved. Spend time together (six feet apart). It's a great time to teach your kids to help you.
4. Learn
There are so many possibilities! I'll just throw out a few ideas. Learn how to:
And so on and so on...you get the gist. I've been learning many of those things, but also things related to my writing work, specifically related to editing and editors.
5. Personal Growth
Last but not least, personal growth is something we need to be working on every day, no matter what's going on. I believe this can only truly begin with a relationship with Jesus Christ. It is only through Him we can start on the path that will lead us to the perfection we seek. When we see ourselves as hopeless sinners, that is the point at which He can begin to change us. Repent and believe in Jesus' life, death, burial and resurrection. Call out to Jesus to save you and confess your belief in Him before others and He will save you. He will change you. The road doesn't end there, though. The rest of our lives from that point forward, the Lord Jesus through His Holy Spirit is working in us to make us perfect and He promised He would complete the work He started. Perfection is only reached when we leave this body behind and enter Heaven, but if we seek Him and His will, He will bring us closer and closer to our goal and His will for us until it is a fulfilled promise.
Philippians 1:6 English Standard Version (ESV)
6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Yes, we can prioritize, develop routines, knock out our to do lists and learn everything from A to Z, but its all a hollow effort without the true changes that happen in the heart when Jesus changes a life and saves a soul. That's the best tip I can give you. To learn more: Click here.
Thanks again for coming for a visit today. I pray each one of your and your families will stay healthy and well and that you will have faith, hope and love in Jesus' name. Amen.
In Christ,
Sandy
Update:
April is another Camp NaNoWriMo and my goal is to edit 20,000 words of my second novel. The last few months I've been hitting my 1st novel very hard and am feeling good about it. If I don't hear back from the Literary Agent by the second week in April, I hope to hire an editor for novel one and see how I can get it where it needs to be, before seeking out another Literary Agent. My April blogs will most likely be short updates, but at the beginning of May I hope to send out a newsletter and let you know a little more about what's been going on with me.