Monday, August 20, 2018

Calendars and Question Marks


By Barbara M. Britton

Happy birthday Stitches Thru Time! Thank you for encouraging readers and writers for five years, or 1,826 days.

Do you have your 2019 calendar yet? I haven’t purchased one, but a freebie came in the mail the other day. I was so excited. Now, I could clean out all the appointment cards and notes stuffed inside my current calendar. Even this morning, I was planning where I would be in the spring and checking where the dates fell in the week.

I guess it’s beneficial to be a planner, but as I scheduled my life nine months in advance, I realized only God truly knows my schedule.

Proverbs 27:1 reminds us:

“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.”

Every day is a gift from God. I know this all too well as a breast cancer survivor. If you wake up in the morning and your feet hit the floor, say a prayer of thanks to God. When I speak about the chaos of my cancer, I speak to the blessing of a new day. Oncology wards bring you face to face with the reality that tomorrow is not a guarantee.

Okay, we’re celebrating here, so I don’t want to get too heavy. What can we do to celebrate life? Praise God and thank him for each new day.

Live on God’s schedule and take the detours He places in our lives. We can be a light to people God puts in our path. A smile. Kind words. Patience. All of these may seem small, but they can make a difference in someone’s life.

If you’re a Christian writer, stay in the game. Write out of a passion for your story and a passion to influence this world for Christ.

Make time for prayer, worship, Bible reading, Bible study, mentoring, and encouraging others. These can get left off a busy calendar and we need to fill our spiritual tanks, so we can zoom into the next week.

When your freebie calendar comes in the mail, remember God is the true organizer of our days. Don’t forget to pencil some time in for Him and leave time for some spiritual detours. You never know what activities God has planned for you in 2019.

How do you keep your focus on God when your calendar looks like doodle art?



Barbara M. Britton lives in Wisconsin and writes Christian Fiction for teens and adults. She has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. Barbara brings little-known Bible characters to light in her Tribes of Israel series. She is a member of RWA, WisRWA, SCBWI and ACFW. Find out more about Barb and her books at www.barbarambritton.com.

Leave a comment and you will be entered into a drawing for one of Barb’s books (reader’s choice).

22 comments:

  1. Hi Kim. Thanks for stopping by. I enjoy meeting new readers.

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  2. Calendars do have a way of filling up fast. 2019 is coming quickly and I want to be a better steward of God.

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    1. Calendars do remind us of time, don't they? Time seems to go so fast. Thanks for stopping by, Melanie.

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  3. Thanks for the encouragement! You’re a new-to-me author and I’m glad to have met you via this post. Trying to pray through the day helps me swim through the “doodle art” that is my family calendar.

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    1. Prayer is key to sorting out a crazy schedule. God can calm the storms of life. I'm glad you joined us.

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  4. My husband and I have 2 calendars. One is for everyday comings and goings. The other one is for medical appts. only. This one is very valuable for when it's time to do taxes for the IRS.
    Looking at this years calendar lets me know that I'm much too busy and don't have time for myself. I keep telling myself this needs to change but I never do anything about it. Sometimes I wish the Lord had made 8 days instead of 7, that way on the 8th day we could do anything our heart desired to do.
    Janet E.
    von1janet(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Hi Janet.It does seem life has gotten busier. I look at my calendar and can barely see white sometimes. You are right in that we need to take to a rest and prioritize our health. God needs strong soldiers. Thanks for joining us.

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  5. Thank you for sharing on STT for the birthday bash this month, Barbara M. Britton. This was a beautiful post to remind us not to become so busy we neglect God. My Bible reading and pray time of a morning is a must to make the day go better.

    I received a free calendar in the mail the other day, too. I haven't started filling it up yet. But I kow there'll be busy weeks and others not so busy. But despite how busy God must remain first. I'm thankful for each day He gives me and good health at this time.

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    1. Hi Marilyn. Yes, we need to prioritize God. Putting life in a Godly perspective helps the day go so much better. Every day is a gift from God. I'm glad you came by today.

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  6. You're so right. Am looking forward to 2019 already and what the Lord has in store.

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    1. Shirley, my friend, how are you? We will be in 2019 before we know it. May 2019 be a blessed year.

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  8. I actually can't believe how fast this year has went, I'm certainly not ready for 2019!

    I agree with others, prayer is the key for every day. I can't start my day without prayer, reading my daily devotional & scriptures, and drinking that first cup of coffee. It puts me in right mindset for whatever is to come. Knowing that no matter what, God has everything in His hands helps me rest in His peace :-)

    Wonderful post, what an encouragement! Thank you!

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    1. I'm glad you stopped by and were encouraged, Trixi. It sounds like you start your day off right. When we focus on God, everything falls into place.

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  9. Thank you for the reminder that only God is the true organizer of our days!!! Beautiful post <3

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  10. When I was in the workforce, I had no trouble keeping up with days and dates. Now I know what day it is but I often find myself wondering about the date. The old saying that Time waits for no one is certainly true!

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  11. Hi Connie. I sometimes wonder about the date, too. I think that's an age issue with me, or maybe my schedule is too full? I'm so glad God gives us direction and strength. Thanks for commenting.

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  12. Thanks for the encouragement, Barb. It's so easy for our calendars to fill up and the urgent take over our lives. This is a good reminder to invest our time in what's eternal and has lasting value.

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    1. Hi Carol. It's easy for busy-ness to take over our lives. I need a reminder from time to time to focus on what's important. Thanks for joining us.

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  13. I’m retired but I often say to myself “Time marches on” especially when dates sneak up on me or I preform a weekly chore and say “ Is it ——day already? “ thanks for the post.

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