Being the New Year and all - I've been thinking about goals and how I can be more effective with my time (not waste it away) and do what is really important this year. I read a great article from Meridian Magazine on "Time" - excerpts below:
"Every day contains twenty-four hours; the same amount of time is given to every single person. CEOs of large corporations and the latest Nobel prize-winners have just the same amount of time that any of the rest of us do. Often what differentiates people is what they do with their time. Time is the medium in which we live our lives, or as Henry David Thoreau said, “Time is the stream we go fishing in.” Time is made up of seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, centuries. Because time happens all the time, we sometimes take it for granted.
Elaine L. Jack, a former Relief Society general president, said: “Time is a critical issue for women today. There are sisters in the Church who spend half the day, every day, bringing water from wells to their homes. That's how they have to spend their time. They never have a day off. There are sisters who stand in line for hours to buy scant supplies of food. There are sisters who work in the fields all day to earn enough to feed their families. Time is a precious resource we have been given. I am so concerned about the pace we have set as women in this part of the Lord's vineyard. We have automatic sprinklers and taps with running water, hot and cold. We think the many labor-saving devices we have should remove all stress from our lives, but we fail to take into account that it's how we feel about what we do that is most important. It seems that the welfare of our own souls is being put at risk as we rush to live all seasons of our lives now. And on fast forward.
“How can we put our time on the shelf of the Lord's storehouse? I think we can best do this by prayerfully considering how to use our time. We can't do everything. I know; I've tried. But we can do something fine with our time. I hope you'll make sure you have moments for prayer, study and pondering daily. There may not be hours for that, but surely there are minutes. Nothing will fill your daily storehouse in a more satisfying manner.”
Janice Kapp Perry's song, “The Woman You'll Be Someday,” describes this journey.
Be kind to the woman waiting there,
For time passes swiftly and you must prepare;
Hold fast to the values more precious than gold,
And you'll bless the old woman who waits down the road.
She watches our day as her story unfolds,
For you see, she is you, grown old.
Only you have the power to make her whole,
Only you can decide her eternal role.
Just for now the old woman depends on you,
She waits and she watches as you make her dreams come true.
Now in the twenty-first century, breadmakers, microwaves, cell phones, and computers abound in nearly every home. My favorite kitchen appliance is my food processor; I slice cucumbers, chop onions, and shred cheese in just seconds. All these labor-saving, efficient devices have given us a gift of time that previous generations could hardly have imagined. I have often thought that the Lord, as well as our ancestors, are wondering, what we are doing with so much time? I believe we are going to be accountable for what we have done with this abundant gift, much like those in the parable of the talents (See Matthew 25: 14-30.). The Lord has told us, “Thou shalt not idle away thy time, neither shalt thou bury thy talent that it may not be known.” (D&C 60:13.)
Use Time to Develop Good Relationships
No matter what season of life you are in and no matter how busy your time is, you always need to have time for people. We need time for family, friends, neighbors, ward members.
Another reason to make time for people is that you can't put relationships on hold while goals are accomplished. There's been more than one father who was so eager to get established in his career or to make tons of money that his kids grew up without him, then realized too late that he'd missed out on those precious, irretrievable childhood years. Time once spent can never be recaptured, and good relationships take time. The LDS Homefront radio and TV spots tell the public, “Give them your love; give them your time.”
Use Time to Give Comfort
A sister in my home stake remarked that as much as she needed and appreciated the loving kindness extended to her family when they lost a child, she found that the continual thoughtfulness and caring acts of her visiting teachers meant more. She said: “I really feel more touched by the love shown not in the crises when we were all stretched to meet the need, but during the small unapparent crises that touch each of our lives and are so often only noticed by those who really know and love us.”
Use Time to Give Service
We need to make time to serve, both by calling and by our own initiative. Albert Schweitzer said: “I do not know what your destiny will be but this I do know: The only ones among you who will be truly happy are those who will have sought and found a way to serve.”
I heard Ardeth Kapp say several times as she served as the Young Women's general president: “I give my life to you because I give my time to you, and time is life.”
Many opportunities for service await in the community, and Church leaders have urged us to become more involved in public service.
Use Time to Continue Learning
Modern-day scriptures tells us: “Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” (D&C 88:188.) Formal learning for most of us comes to a closure due to graduation, family responsibilities, and the need to educate the next generation. But learning never has to end. Colleges or community education programs offer myriad classes—and the best part is that you can take just what you want.
Use Time to Grow Spiritually
The Lord has told us, “Behold, I say unto you that you shall let your time be devoted to the studying of the scriptures.” (D&C 26:1.) Probably nothing will help us more to grow spiritually, no matter what stage of life we are in, than reading the scriptures. We need to use our time to study the scriptures so that we will have the Spirit of the Lord with us, to guide us and direct us on a daily basis. Chieko Okazaki, a former counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, said: “Each one of us needs a firsthand relationship with the Savior—a primary relationship, not a secondary one. The testimonies that others have of Jesus are powerful and strengthening, but if we rely on them instead of developing our own relationship, we will be spiritually weak. The manuals and the Ensign and other commentaries and sermons and essays are meaningful and perceptive; but if we read only them and don't study the scriptures for ourselves, we will have only a secondhand relationship with the scriptures. The prayers of others can be uplifting and spiritual, but if we don't pray our own prayers, we will be distant from the Savior.”
Temple attendance helps us grow spiritually—and it does take time.
May each do something fine with our time—during this New Year. May we realize the great gift and blessing of time and apportion it wisely during each season of life. May we use this time to develop loving relationships with others, to give comfort and service, to learn, and to grow spiritually."
