Value Every Moment

We’re wrapping up the Thanksgiving weekend. It’s my favorite holiday, only Christmas comes close to matching it. One of the things that makes Thanksgiving so special is the time away from work. A lot of us get several days off in a row before going back to normal the following Monday. Another thing that makes Thanksgiving so special is the time with our family. We’re so spread out these days, and the times we can all be in the same space is really special. Although 2020 has caused everything to have a different feel, I hope your Thanksgiving will result in pleasant memories. Enjoy these times. Value every moment.

Ours is a busy culture. Many men and women are absorbed in anything but their family. The urgent matters of pursuing an education, career building and advancement take priority. There are plenty of justifications. Families need money to live. Things break down and need repair. Possessions bring comfort and enjoyment, but often come at a price: the precious commodity of time.

What are some things you can do to build more time with your family and become the spiritual leader you need to be?

• Realize your dependence on God. We have been called to be imitators of God, Ephesians 5.1-2. Every moment of our day needs to be arranged around this fact. We need to seek God’s purposes for our life and mold our behavior around that purpose, Ephesians 5.8, 10. 
• Strive for excellence in your life. Paul urges us to be careful how you walk, Ephesians 5.15. Refuse to move without direction or purpose. Do you have any goals for your family? A plan? A vision? How are you communicating these goals to your family? What are your spiritual priorities for your family?
• Eliminate the bad. The first step in life improvement is to evaluate your current position. Take personal inventory of your life. What’s good? What’s bad? How can you improve? What are some things you may be leaving out that should be there, but just don’t have time for? Test everything; hold fast what is good, 1 Thessalonians 5.21.
• Be serious about the commitments you have made. Your marriage must take precedent over friends, acquaintances, parents, etc. Schedule time to be with your family. There must be times you are simply unavailable to anyone else but your spouse and children. 

By the way you order your life, you can provide a living testimony to the sustaining power of a relationship with God. Your faith and trust in God can be inspiring and courageous. Surround yourself with your family today. Let them know you love them.