Wanted: More Hours in the Day

I'm really not meaning to complain at all. I'm grateful for a wonderful job...really I am! I think I got incredibly spoiled this summer with so much downtime to read, play online, rest, knit, and hang out with family and friends. Now I feel like there is so much to do and that I want to do on my weekends. When I try to jam too much into that time though, I get frustrated and grumpy. I have come to realize that I need some downtime at home to just relax (I think my husband has finally worn off on me after 21 years of marriage).

Because of the nature of my job as a teacher, I do not leave my job behind when I leave the campus. I think about my students every day, even on the weekends. I worry about some of them. I pray for them. I wonder how I might reach them better, connect with them, inspire them, encourage them. I think about how I can get some of them to focus more, to be on task, to not interrupt my lessons. I think about how to teach the concepts in new and interesting ways. And then I wonder where I will find all the time to do it all.

Within the last few months, I have really become much more interested and focused on reading the Bible. I admit to thinking of reading the bible as a very boring activity before I ever read it with any interest. I didn't see how it could possibly connect to my life now, other than the message of salvation in it. I professed a belief and love for God yet never picked up the Bible to learn more about my faith. Now that I attend a different church and denomination than the Catholic Church I started my faith journey in as a senior in high school, I take my bible to church each Sunday. Most of the members of the church do so. Our pastor refers to it throughout his message and asks us to turn to the passages he speaks about. I read my bible almost every morning, first thing after I get up and get my first cup of coffee. I try to read one of the Psalms and one chapter in Proverbs. Then I kind of choose where I will read in the New Testament. I think it helps that I have this bible that really provides some background on each book and so many explanations and footnotes. All of this to say that if I had more hours in the day, I'd definitely use some of them to read even more from my bible and get some commentary books to get a better understanding of the time period and context of each book in the bible as I read it.

I'd like to spend more time knitting from my stash. I will not buy any more yarn until I knit what I have already.

I'd scrapbook more and get down the stories of our lives.

I'd do nice things for others instead of just thinking about doing them!

I'd get my photos organized on my computer and back it all up.

I'd work harder at encouraging my sons to spend less time in their rooms and more time finding some common ground or activity for us to enjoy together.

I'm sure everyone would want more hours in the day. I know that part of the problem is that I do not always make wise choices with what I do with my free time. Too much time is spent online, reading blogs and hanging out on Facebook. It's good to connect with others and be inspired by blogs but it is better to pick up the phone or go see someone in person.

Just a sort of weird random post for a Sunday night. Still so much to do for work this week but for now, I'm going to pack it up. The alarm is set for 5 a.m. I am praying that I sleep well so I can rise early and have my quiet devotional time. I know if I ask the Lord to help me make the right choices with the time he blesses me with, I will be off to a good start.

What would you do with more hours in your day?