In His Likeness w/ AntTBri

I don’t know if it’s the tick tock of my alarm clock…or the inner alarm of my biological clock that has me tracking, thinking and talking about time.  Maybe it’s the passing of time or my need to be more mindful of time that is triggering my focus and turning my feelings toward time. All I know is that watching the clock is speaking volumes to me about time. Watching the clock has become an integral part of my day and nights (lol).  Becoming accountable for my time has me stopping, shaking, and starting some things differently…definitely. 

Time management has never been my strong point but I decided and declared that “there is no way I’m going to give these jobs more time than I’m giving my dream”.  I’m thankful to God for the energy to help advance the vision of those who employ me…and I’m intentionally integral about showing up, being present, meeting my objectives while punching “their” time clock without excuse or occurrence…which got me to thinking and talking to God about time.  As I was acclimatizing to my increasingly busy schedule I noticed the adaptations, allowances, and even acceptance of certain things as a result to the limitations on my time. The main thing being…. that I’m finding ways to do and be what is expected of me for others but back shelving, putting off, planning to get to it on the weekend (that does not work)…justifiably procrastinating in terms of my vision and dream…my work.  What I find immensely encouraging is that my enthusiasm about life and love in His likeness has not dwindled or died as a result of the limitations of time. I’m watching the clock…waiting on the clock…and waiting for the clock to alarm so I have opportunity to find ways to worship, write, and work… and in that order. God is helping me to strategize, strengthening my resolve, and blessing me to make the necessary sacrifice to manage my time and not let time manage me. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and that He continually does.  He and I make an awesome team.  I absolutely love our   collaborations…life and love in His likeness and if I may say so and you know I will…it is about time.

Life and love requires adaptations, allowances, and acceptance of time restraints. You may have to stop some things, shake off other things and start some things to accommodate the managing of your time.  Before you give your all to what you got to do and put off what you’re passionate or purposed to do proactively pursue proper usage of time. God must remain first and be in the forefront of all our endeavors if we aim to live and love effectively in His likeness. We must take care of ourselves, properly steward our mind, body, and souls if we are going to live and love in and through the workings of the Holy Spirit.  The people we love still need to know and feel they are our priority.   Relationships grow, thrive, and flourish if we use time to our advantage.  All three will die if we are not intentional about time as we live and love God, ourselves, and others. Make the quality of life and love your priority…after all the exerted energy, effort, enthusiasm it would be a shame if it ends up being for naught.  If you live and love doing and being what’s needed and required for others and lose what makes you uniquely you then it’s about time for you to make some adjustments to your schedule, schematic, and strategy of life and love.

The bible affirms that “Charity starts at home and then it spreads abroad”.  I dare not be wonderful for others and be piss poor in the areas that count in terms of being successful at life and love.  I was finding that all I was making time to do was work, sleep, and eat.  Yes I chose this particular shift to accommodate my schedule…neither position impedes my ability to attend church, continue my pop up visits at my nieces and nephews schools, and it allows me the freedom to come and go with relative ease when called upon by family and friends…but it leaves little to no time for me to be fluid in creativity…sometimes I’m so focused on not being tired at work that I start ignoring my passionate purposeful flow.  My mind began to race against the clock, my heart beat hastened as it synchronized to the pace and passing of time.  It didn’t take long for me to catch my mind and miss the free flow pattern of my worship and devotional writing…so I took it to God in prayer. “Lord show me how to do this…give me a strtaegy…help me effectively and efficiently get on a workable schedule that allows me to finance my dream and feed my passion and purpose”.  Maybe because I now consider that there are more days behind me than there may be before me.  Possibly it’s that I want what I do to count and matter in a way that is fulfilling.  Or maybe it’s that I’m finally learning…getting it…the value and treasure of time and yes you are right it is about time.

It’s about time that we prioritize what’s needful, necessary, nurturing, and nourishing to life and love in His likeness.  It’s about time that we make the necessary sacrifice to secure our statements, strategies, and schematic of life and love in His likeness.  It’s about time that we eliminate the foolishness, frustration, and fake achievement of a 40+ hour work week that has done nothing to feed our spirits.  If you are like me you have no problem maneuvering, moving, and managing the needs and desires of others when it comes to your time…well the clock is ticking…what you do about time  tells God, you, and others what matters most to you.  I hope and pray that life and love in His likeness is your biggest aspiration…let this discourse be your motivation…inspiration…to not only track, talk, and think about time but be about time for you are purposed to be a blessing both beautiful and brilliant…great, awesome, extraordinary, exemplary, and exceptional things come from persons connected, committed, and conscious about time.  Swell God’s heart and make Him Smile…really it is about time~ AntTBri