Time

 

Time.

It can move so slowly or streak past in a blur, depending on our circumstances and perspective.
My second book, releasing in January of 2015, is titled Worth the Time, so I've been thinking about time a lot lately.

How I waste it.
How precious it is.

I don't want to waste this gift, a season to live for Jesus, bringing glory to His name.
Yet I do.

At night, I reflect on the day before I go to sleep and too many nights, I can't think of one thing of eternal value that I did that day.

Here are a few scriptures about time. They're taken from the ESV.

Ephesians 5:15-17

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Colossians 4:4-6

That I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom towards outsiders, making the best use of time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

I've seen on Facebook and Instagram people using the hashtags #100HappyDays, which asks people to look for something that makes them happy for 100 days straight. I haven't participated yet, but I'm thinking I might, not necessarily to think of things that make me happy but things that show I appreciate the time God has given me, that I'm focused on using it for His glory.

Things like the picture at the top, which is at a restaurant near my house. My friend from birth and I had a great dinner there, laughing as we watched the sun set.

I don't want to take a second for granted.

How do you capture the gift of time? Are you a person who documents each moment or do you silently soak them all in? Do you make lists for your time or take each day as it comes?

**To answer my own questions, I like to document the moments, and sometimes I plan and sometimes I ride the wave of the day.

Laura Jackson loves Jesus, books, trees, and the Houston Rockets. She lives in a suburb of Houston,
where she works as a school librarian during the day and writes Christian YA books by night. You can find her at http://authorlaurajackson.blogspot.com/.