I'm always complaining about "there isn't enough time in the day to do all of this STUFF!" In reality, it is very true, but tonight I had my monthly Alpha Delta Kappa (a local teacher sorority) meeting... I will admit that before going I thought to myself "there are a MILLION other things I could be doing." I was still in that mood when I sat down at my table... Every meeting starts with a devotional, and I couldn't help but to take tonight's to heart and share it with my 1,000 of blog readers... (I dream BIG!).
The devotional was about just that, TIME. So often we complain about not having enough time in the day, and I was given a different way to look at it tonight (and I don't know how I have not heard this before!):
Imagine that you had won the following prize in a contest:
Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400 in your private account for your use.
However, this prize has rules, just as any game has certain rules.
The first set of rules would be:
Everything that you didn't spend during each day would be taken away from you.
You may not simply transfer money into some other account. You may only spend it.
Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another $86,400 for that day.
The second set of rules:
The bank can end the game without warning; at any time it can say,
Its over, the game is over!
It can close the account and you will not receive a new one.
What would you personally do?
You would buy anything and everything you wanted, right?
Not only for yourself, but for all people you love, right?
Even for people you don't know, because you couldn't possibly spend it all on yourself, right?
You would try to spend every cent, and use it all, right?
ACTUALLY, this GAME is REALITY!
Each of us is in possession of such a magical bank. We just can't seem to see it.
The MAGICAL BANK is TIME!
Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life, and when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is NOT credited to us. What we haven't lived up that day is forever lost. Yesterday is forever gone.
Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve your account at any time.... without warning.
So, what will YOU do with your 86,400 seconds?
Aren't they worth so much more than the same amount in dollars?
Think about that, and always think of this:
Enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think.
JoAnn went on to talk about many different aspects.. but this money analogy really got me thinking about how I spend my day and how I "rank" things by importance... I often have put work first, this is something I am working on.. my students are very important to me, and I want to make a difference in their lives.. but sometimes I have to put me and my family first and enjoy I have the time with my parents, my friends, Bocephus and Cosmo.. I need to take time to do things that I enjoy like scrapbooking, reading, running, working out, and newest to the list: needlepoint (I have Mary Jo to thank for this..). Overall, there must be a balance between work and home. I feel like if I find this balance, I will enjoy work more, and enjoy my time doing things I love even more. I can only imagine the importance of this story when I have children, and I begin to watch them grow.. but I won't go crazy here.. that won't be happening for awhile!
She also shared something else to think about:
To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.
To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.
To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.
To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.
To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.
To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.
A very good friend was sharing a story with me last week about a student at her school that was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor.... She was telling me about the child's journey (all that has developed in the last couple of weeks), then she went on to justify taking the day off to go to her daughter's field day... She had a wonderful point, you never know when you or someone you love may be taken from you (I'm not trying to be morbid, just trying to state the facts). While I can't play hooky from work everyday, it's so important to realize what your priorities are... I'm slowly starting to straighten this out myself.
With my birthday less than 5 days away, I have yet to make plans because other things have flooded my schedule. As my mother always said as birthday's approach, "It's just another day." While she is right, it's yet another day to try to remember what is important to me. The clock is ticking, and I'm going to continue to try to enjoy every moment of it!
I now look back at the evening and don't think about a wasted evening... I think of it as a time I got to sit with friends and eat, I got to spend time with a friend's daughter, I got to see some of my friends be silly in a talent show... I got so much out of tonight to consider that I could of spent my evening so many other ways.
So I'll leave you on this classic quote, from a wonderful movie:
The devotional was about just that, TIME. So often we complain about not having enough time in the day, and I was given a different way to look at it tonight (and I don't know how I have not heard this before!):
Imagine that you had won the following prize in a contest:
Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400 in your private account for your use.
However, this prize has rules, just as any game has certain rules.
The first set of rules would be:
Everything that you didn't spend during each day would be taken away from you.
You may not simply transfer money into some other account. You may only spend it.
Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another $86,400 for that day.
The second set of rules:
The bank can end the game without warning; at any time it can say,
Its over, the game is over!
It can close the account and you will not receive a new one.
What would you personally do?
You would buy anything and everything you wanted, right?
Not only for yourself, but for all people you love, right?
Even for people you don't know, because you couldn't possibly spend it all on yourself, right?
You would try to spend every cent, and use it all, right?
ACTUALLY, this GAME is REALITY!
Each of us is in possession of such a magical bank. We just can't seem to see it.
The MAGICAL BANK is TIME!
Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life, and when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is NOT credited to us. What we haven't lived up that day is forever lost. Yesterday is forever gone.
Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve your account at any time.... without warning.
So, what will YOU do with your 86,400 seconds?
Aren't they worth so much more than the same amount in dollars?
Think about that, and always think of this:
Enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think.
JoAnn went on to talk about many different aspects.. but this money analogy really got me thinking about how I spend my day and how I "rank" things by importance... I often have put work first, this is something I am working on.. my students are very important to me, and I want to make a difference in their lives.. but sometimes I have to put me and my family first and enjoy I have the time with my parents, my friends, Bocephus and Cosmo.. I need to take time to do things that I enjoy like scrapbooking, reading, running, working out, and newest to the list: needlepoint (I have Mary Jo to thank for this..). Overall, there must be a balance between work and home. I feel like if I find this balance, I will enjoy work more, and enjoy my time doing things I love even more. I can only imagine the importance of this story when I have children, and I begin to watch them grow.. but I won't go crazy here.. that won't be happening for awhile!
She also shared something else to think about:
To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.
To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.
To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.
To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.
To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.
To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.
A very good friend was sharing a story with me last week about a student at her school that was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor.... She was telling me about the child's journey (all that has developed in the last couple of weeks), then she went on to justify taking the day off to go to her daughter's field day... She had a wonderful point, you never know when you or someone you love may be taken from you (I'm not trying to be morbid, just trying to state the facts). While I can't play hooky from work everyday, it's so important to realize what your priorities are... I'm slowly starting to straighten this out myself.
With my birthday less than 5 days away, I have yet to make plans because other things have flooded my schedule. As my mother always said as birthday's approach, "It's just another day." While she is right, it's yet another day to try to remember what is important to me. The clock is ticking, and I'm going to continue to try to enjoy every moment of it!
I now look back at the evening and don't think about a wasted evening... I think of it as a time I got to sit with friends and eat, I got to spend time with a friend's daughter, I got to see some of my friends be silly in a talent show... I got so much out of tonight to consider that I could of spent my evening so many other ways.
So I'll leave you on this classic quote, from a wonderful movie:
<3, K8
Very well written Kate. We all need to slow down and enjoy the moment. Hopefully you will find some relaxing time as you needlepoint. Someday you will look back at the things you have made a realize that they are more than just an keychain, or ornament, or belt- each piece you do it truly a work of art. Enjoy! MJ
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