Time Flies Like an Arrow, Fruit Flies Like a Banana

I often hear the phrase, "I need more time in my day" or "there isn't enough time to do what I want to do." I, myself, am guilty of saying these phrases. We all work on the same time. We all have the same 24 hours in a day, the same 7 days in a week, etc. So, how are some people stressing about lack of time while others are perfectly at peace with their time? Well, I have a theory if you are one of those people who are under a lot of pressure about the time you feel like you don't have.

Like I said, we all are running on the same time. No one has more or less than 24 hours in their day, blah blah blah. The thing that makes us feel like we don't have enough time to do what we want is our mind and how we are spending the time we have. For example, I often feel I don't have time to do all the crafting and whatnot that I want to do after I work for most of the day. I also feel, in the same respect, that I don't have time to clean my house when I get off work (between 3-4 pm), and that I have to designate one day of my week to clean and figure out how to fit everything else I want to do in that day. So, I stress and freak out about the fact that I don't have time to do these things and I work myself up about it. But what do I do when I get home? I sit on the couch, I play with my kitten, I grab my phone and look at social media for hours (as much as I hate to admit it... hours). I wait for my boyfriend to get home, I make dinner, we watch a few episodes of [currently] Big Bang Theory, then we go to bed. On occasion, we do limit ourselves on the T.V. and get some stuff done before bed but more times than not we just watch T.V. and go to bed. The next day we usually complain about how we don't have enough time in our days. I know we are not the only people guilty of doing this same thing daily. It's okay to admit it. Everyone does this at least one (probably more than they care to admit) time in their life. 

If you look at my little example of poor time management, you will notice there are PLENTY of times after work that I could do literally anything else! But instead, I am sucked into my phone, or doing something else that is mind-numbing, which on occasion is fine. BUT, doing it often is not fine, especially if I keep complaining about the "lack of time" I think I have. Did you catch that? I THINK I don't have the time to do what I want, but that's not true. I have all the time in the world to do what I want to do but I use that time do to something else. See, we all have the time. We all are capable of time management. Instead of coming home and getting on my phone, I could come home and start on a project, or read a book, or practice some skill I want to sharpen. I have the time, I am just using it in the wrong way. You have the time, you are just using it in the wrong way. Your mind is tricking you into thinking that you don't have time, but the truth is you do and you're just looking at it wrong. Use the time you have. Instead of thinking, "I don't have time for this..." think, "I have to make time for this." Make time for the things you want to do. Plan out your day, put away your phone. Make time for yourself. 

We can all make excuses for why we aren't doing the things to make us happy. That's easy! Instead of making excuses, make time. Your phone isn't important, your social media isn't important (it's the internet, I'm sure it will be there later, you're not going to miss anything). Yes! Let me say that again just so I know you see it! You won't miss out on anything that is happening on the internet! You will, however, miss out on those things you're not doing because you "don't have time."

Put those things, that are uselessly taking your time, away. They're not helping you. You have to make time, it isn't going to just magically appear because it already exists. You have the time, you just have to look at it from a different perspective. 

Fruits in Winter: Love

Weird title huh? We don't really think of fruits in the wintertime. Personally, the wintertime is usually when I am craving those fruits that are only good in the summer (i.e. watermelon, kiwis, plums, etc). However, I am not talking about those fruits. Today's blog post is the first of many to come where I am going to talk about the fruits of the Spirit. The fruits of the Spirit are found in Galatians 5:22: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. In Galatians chapter 5, Paul tells us to use our newfound freedom in Christ to walk in the Spirit and not to continue in our sinful, worldly ways of the flesh. The desires of the flesh are working against the Spirit which creates problems for us and those around us. These desires are things of the world; things of this world do not last. This is why we need to walk in the Spirit by striving to model our lives from the fruits of the Spirit. Over the course of many weeks, I will discuss the different fruits and how we can live in the way of that fruit. 

This week's fruit we are discussing is strawberries. Chocolate-covered strawberries that is! I am only kidding! With Valentine's Day quickly approaching it seems appropriate that the first fruit is love. Love is mentioned so many times in the bible, (551 times in the NIV to be exact). We say "I love you" to loved ones and significant others. It is a very common word for us to say, but sometimes it is harder to show it. The English language only has one word for love, that is love, and we are left to use the context of the other words around it to determine what kind of love is being portrayed. This one word is used to express so many different emotions. For example, I can say "I love chocolate-covered strawberries" and "I love my boyfriend" and you would understand those are two different kinds of love. The Greeks had four different words for love: eros(AIR-ohs), storge(STOR-jay), philia(FILL-ee-uh), and agape(Uh-GAH-pay). Eros is romantic or sexual love for another person, commonly your spouse. Storge is a familial love; a love between parents and children or brothers and sisters. Philia refers to a brotherly love or a love that bonds believers together. Finally, agape is an unconditional love, a love only God can have for us. 

Like I said, love is mentioned in the bible a lot. Some of them refer to a philia love while others refer to agape. Occasionally there are hints at eros and storge but they are not as commonly used. One instance of storge is shown between Mary and Martha and their brother Lazarus. Eros can be seen in 1 Corinthians 7:8-9 when Paul writes, "it is better to marry than to burn with passion"(ESV) to the unmarried and widows. Philia and agape are mentioned more often in the bible, but there are three scriptures I am going to focus on for today. 

In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul talks about the way of love, that is how we are to love. One of the most used verses at weddings is 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, "Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres."(NIV) I have seen posts on Pinterest and similar places that say "strive to replace your name with "love". Yes, strive to do that, but personally, I have tried and it is hard! I get mad easily. I am NOT patient. This verse is often used in weddings as decoration or part of vows which I think is adorable. When Paul wrote this, however, he was talking to a church about the importance of loving each other. In the same chapter, verses 1 and 2 he says if he can do amazing things like speak in tounges or have prophetic powers and have faith the size of a mustard seed that can move mountains, but he doesn't have love, he is nothing. Another verse, 1 John 2:10 says, "whoever loves his brother or sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble."(NIV) Both of these verses show a philia love. It is simple to love those around you who love you, your family, your friends. How do you feel about people who cut you off while you're driving? What about someone who did you wrong? It's not so easy to love them, is it? We are supposed to love everyone! Jesus said, "love your neighbor as yourself."(Matthew 22:39, ESV) 

The example of agape that is the most important in the bible is "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."(John 3:16, ESV) I personally don't have any children but I couldn't imagine giving up the thing I love most for someone else let alone someone who was my enemy! The bible says while we were still His enemy, Christ died for us! (Romans 5:8) He loves us that much! God sent His Son to die for us sinners so we would not have to. I can pull out so much scripture that shows how much God loves us. In every place the bible says love that refers to us Christians loving each other, it is always philia, never agape! This is because we are human! We can't love each other the way God loves us. We get mad, we are impatient, we crumble and we do not always love each other the way we should! It's hard to love those who aren't nice to us. It's hard to show love to that person who just honked at you for not moving as soon as the light turned green. The example I hear a lot is a murderer in jail. Can you love someone who has killed another person? Jesus encourages us to love each other. He said, "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44, ESV) Pray for those who are mean to you, who have done wrong to you. Pray that God will give you the ability to love them the way we are supposed to love others. 

When something bad happens, stop, breathe, pray! Remind yourself that you love that person. Say a prayer. Pray for patience, pray for that person. Do your best not to jump to anger. If you're able to, pull out your bible and read any of the chapters I mentioned or find your own. Spend some time in the word! Now, I'm not saying you have to physically love everyone all the time, but if you think of someone and only bad thoughts come to your mind, you need to work something out with that person. The greatest thing we can have is love.

This week in creation corner: I started working on a Junk Journal. I so far only have the outside but hopefully, I will be able to get some inside pages in it soon! I also have started a new hobby of writing to pen pals! It is so much fun making new friends through the mail. 

LINKS:

Instagram

Pinterest

Website

Youtube

My Latest Youtube Video

Liable to Break or Give Way

 I come from a family that is too stubborn to ask for help when they need it. Recently I discovered we aren't the only people who are like this. In a previous blog post, I briefly discussed that humans don't like to show weakness. Even in our darkest times, we do not want people to know we are less than perfect. I don't necessarily mean physical weakness. Weakness can be defined as liable to break or give way under pressure. So, we bottle up our feelings and our problems until we absolutely cannot hold the pressure anymore. From personal experience, THIS IS BAD! DO NOT DO THIS! Stop saying "I'm Fine" you're not fine. It is perfectly alright to ask for help when you need it. You have people in your life that will help you, you only need to ask. In the wise words of Albus Dumbledore, "Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets) Even though we aren't at Hogwarts, this still applies. 

You can't do everything by yourself. Sorry to have to tell you like this, but you're not a superhero. You are physically and emotionally incapable of doing everything by yourself. Look around you; think of all the people God has put in your life. All those people are there specifically for you. God would not have put someone in your life if it wasn't in some way beneficial to you. Ask for help when you need it and don't be ashamed of it.

Okay, so asking for help isn't easy. That's fine. I don't think it's easy; it's not supposed to be easy. So, ask someone else. Ask God for help. Ask Him for help with your problem or your weakness. Ask for help to have the courage and strength to ask someone for help. It isn't easy to ask for help, it isn't supposed to be. Don't look for the easy way out. Maybe the help you need is God. I recently learned a bible verse and wanted to share it with you. Second Corinthians 12:9 says "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV). God tells Paul that His grace, God's grace. is sufficient for whatever problems Paul has because, in weakness, God's power is made perfect! I don't know if you know of Paul but he went through a lot of crap for sharing the gospel with people. He was thrown in jail many times. He was beaten and stoned TO DEATH. Yes, he died and then got back up and walked back into the building and continued to share the gospel! Paul went through many trials, but he looked to God when he needed help. We need to follow in Paul's footsteps and ask for help, from God, and from our peers. 

Now, maybe you are alright. Maybe right now you don't have any problems, your life is going pretty good. HOWEVER, remember earlier when I mentioned all those people God put in your life? Those people that are there specifically for you? Those people have problems too. Those people don't want to ask for help either. Why? Because they're human. Humans don't like to show they are weak. They are there for you, but you are also there for them. Check on your people every once in a while. Maybe they are going through a rough time. Maybe they are under a lot of pressure and they are about to break, The bible says, "bear one another's burdens."(Galatians 6:2, ESV). You can't do everything yourself, neither can they. Be the help someone else won't ask for. Sometimes they DO ask for help! DO IT! Regardless of what is happening in your life, drop whatever you're doing to be with them! Maybe you too can benefit from helping them. Spend time with them, listen to them. There is an old saying, "treat others the way you want to be treated." Who knows, the next time you're in a low place in life, they will come to you. Recently, I had a deadline that I had procrastinated. My sister texted me and asked if she should come to my house to cry. She doesn't come to my house because I have a cat and she is allergic to them. I knew something was up. I ended up driving to her house just to sit with her for a few hours. It is okay at times to show your weakness because in weakness God's power is made perfect. 

Ask for help, ask for guidance. Stop trying to carry all your burdens by yourself. Let others help you; let Jesus help you. Help others when you are able! Pray for them, pray with them. We all need someone to sit with us or to help us when times are hard. Put others before yourself. God is using you to show His power to others. God will NEVER put you in a place that you cannot overcome. 

This week in creation corner:  I went to a small get together with a few friends and painted the painting below. I also created a drawing/ art generator that I will hopefully be using soon! 

LINKS:

Instagram

Pinterest

Website

Youtube

My Latest Youtube Video