Thursday, January 23, 2020

Goals and Routines: What Works for Timna

Timna shares about the shifts in her seasons of life.

At the start of each new year, I like to write a mission statement for myself in the front of my planner. Even though I don’t often read it, it clearly outlines my priorities and some of my goals. It defines my place and purpose before God, my role as a wife and a mom, my responsibility as a daughter to my aging parents, my place in the church and my duty as a homemaker.

I thrive on routines, but have not attained them. Most days we have ten people in our home, some who have their own schedules and my life flows around the people in my life.

In my earlier years of homemaking, I was influenced by the writings of home organizers such as Emilie Barnes, Donna Otto and Marla Cilley (FlyLady) and I am grateful for the things I learned from them. However, those women had different lifestyles and their methods did not totally work for me.

Our routines may reflect our values, but they do not define our priorities. We have to define our priorities and establish our routines based on that. It is easy to become overwhelmed when establishing priorities and routines. The discipline of a routine is good, and being consistent in one routine paves the way for the establishing new routines, but if they are too overwhelming, we tend to shy away from them.

My highest purpose is to bring glory to God, and in order to do that, I have to spend time in the Word and in prayer. Although I still need to grow in this, that routine is also a priority.

Right now, a daily shining of the bathroom and the kitchen sink is not my priority. I put higher priority on reading a story to a little seven-year-old who snuggles up beside me and lives a mixed up life between our house and his mom's house.

Making the bed in the morning gives me a sense of order and peace and is something my husband appreciates. I love to walk for my health but have gotten derailed because of cold weather. Cleaning my house gets moved up on the list of priorities if it shows too much negligence because God is a God of order and beauty, and I want our home to be a haven of rest and refreshment.

My routines shift through the various seasons of life. Probably some routines that get a lick and a promise now, will receive more attention once my house empties and my focus shifts. I often pray that God will give me wisdom to know the most important thing to do in every moment.
-Timna Hooley - Georgia

3 comments :

  1. GINA: TIMNA TIENE RAZON CUANDO DICE QUE LO QUE FUNCIONA PARA OTRAS FAMILIAS, NO FUNCIONA PARA EL RESTO, CADA FAMILIA ES UNICA, TIENE SU PROPIA DINAMICA, SUS TIEMPOS. TUVE 9 HIJOS Y CUANDO ERAN CHICOS, CADA UNO LE LLEVA 2 AÑOS AL HERMANO ANTERIOR, EN ALGUN MOMENTO DE LA VIDA, ESTABAN TODOS EN CASA MAS YO Y MI ESPOSO, ERAMOS 11 INTEGRANTES, CUANTO TRABAJO, CUANTA ROPA QUE LAVAR, CUANTAS TAREAS ESCOLARES QUE HACER, CUANTAS LAGRIMAS QUE SECAR, DEMASIADA COMIDA QUE PREPARAR, ECT. ECT. VIVIA EN UN RITMO CASI ENLOQUECEDOR JAJAJA, PERO SIEMPRE SALIMOS A FLOTE, TENIA SIEMPRE TODO ORGANIZADO, TODO LIMPIO, PERO TRABAJAMOS MUCHO CON MI ESPOSO PARA SACAR ADELANTE A LA FAMILIA, ENSEÑARLES, EDUCARLOS, MUCHOS CONOCIDOS PREGUNTABAN ¿COMO PUEDES HACER ESTO? ¿COMO PUEDES TENER LIMPIA TU CASA Y TODOS TUS NIÑOS? ORGANIZACION Y MAS ORGANIZACION, CONTESTABA, AUNQUE A VECES EL CAOS NOS INVADIA.... AHORA TENGO 60 AÑOS Y TODAVIA TENGO 2 HIJOS BIOLOGICOS DE LOS 9 QUE TUVE MAS 3 NIÑOS ADOPTADOS CON NECESIDADES ESPECIALES, EL TRABAJO SIGUE, LAVO ROPA, COCINO BASTANTE, ECT, PERO LO HAGO CON OTRO RITMO, CUANDO MADURAMOS, VEMOS LAS COSAS DE OTRA MANERA, YA NO SOY LA MISMA QUE CUANDO TENIA 20, 30 O 40 AÑOS, ME ENFOCO MAS EN OTRAS COSAS, TENGO OTRAS PRIORIDADES, LA MAS IMPORTANTE JUNTO A MI ESPOSO, ES EDUCARLOS A LOS NIÑOS EN LA FE, ESTE MUNDO SE ESTA CAYENDO A PEDAZOS Y SE VIVE EN UNA GRAN INMORALIDAD, ASI QUE NUESTRAS PRIORIDADES ES PREPARARLOS PARA EL MUNDO, LOS HIJOS MAYORES AHORA EDUCAN A SUS PROPIOS HIJOS Y SIEMPRE NOS AGRADECEN LA EDUCACION QUE LE DIMOS, SOBRE TODO EL CAMINAR EN LA FE. BENDICIONES.

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