As
much as this blog title seems to be about good eating habits or health, it is
actually on the importance of what we spend
our time on. I am a believer, that the time we have on earth, should be
thought of as our greatest
worldly commodity. It is something that, no matter how intelligent, how
thrifty, how good at delegating, how productive one is, time cannot be duplicated nor
increased. The time we have here is the one thing we can
never get more of...each day of each life, long or short, is numbered.
My dear friend was asked to
speak at BYU's Women's Conference this past summer, and was given a topic on
how we spend our time. She was also given a quote on how, just as the pioneers
of times past had to deliberately plan and choose what would fit on their small
handcarts based on what was most important, we too, should only choose to spend
our time on what we deem most important in life, decluttering our lives from
the many distractions that aren't of much value. To illustrate, she
shared how one morning her 4 boys somehow got out some chips and ate them
during breakfast, leaving behind a big, crummy mess. She was going to sit
down and read scriptures, but had to run them out to school. Upon
returning, those chips called to her, begging to be cleaned up. So again,
she procrastinated reading, and cleaned them up. This led to bringing
some things upstairs to be put away, which led to a quick clean of the bathroom
while she was there, to emptying the trash, to putting in a load of laundry,
etc. Before she knew it, her day was gone, and still no scriptures!
She cleverly stated to us all: "When deciding what to spend your
time on, don't
choose the chips!!"I am also an advocate of remembering that "to every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven" (Eccl. 3:1). We do not have to do all things at once, nor be all things to all people, nor feel we have to be perfect at everything all at one time! We need to revel in the place where we find ourselves, and love LIVING that time of our lives, not beating ourselves up thinking of all that we aren't accomplishing instead. When we have a newborn baby, we shouldn't expect ourselves to be PTA President (or beauty queens for that matter)! When we have little ones at home, we can and should do our best to spend as much quality time being WITH them, way more than concentrating on having a pristine home. When we have kids in school, we can choose to be the perfect volunteer or go back to school too, but don't have regret over all the things we "should've done" or how we could've parented! The point is, no matter what time of life we find ourselves in, we should cherish those moments, knowing we can never get them back.
Time should be spent, much like we try and spend our money, budgeting for the things of most worth to us. There is a show on TV where the characters all have a countdown of how much time they have to live on their arms. How differently we may act knowing exactly how long we have to live!
So, how are we SPENDING our
time? I think it is interesting to imagine how it will be one day, to be judged, according
to how we chose
to use our precious time on earth! It can be so hard to
remember in the heat of the moment, or in the tough times where we feel life is
so hard we wish life were over. But I know when I have true perspective,
I'm hopeful, happy, joyful, and excited to be free to do with my time what
I deem most important and life-worthy! My favorite LDS song says:
"Someday He will come,
sure as we live and breathe. One day every man and woman living on the earth will see His face, one day.
Someday He will come, sure as the seasons change, He will call the children to Him,
He will bless the souls of every race, someday.
(This is the most poignant to me:)
When He comes, the world will melt away. Earthly things will slip right through our hands. Leaving just our hearts to stand before Him, just our lives to speak for what we've done, what we've become."
This illustrates how what we
choose to spend our earthly moments on, are the very things that will shape our
character, our perspective, our hearts. The moments we spend on people:
comforting each other, listening to each other, serving another, forgiving each
other. The time we spend reading the "good word of God" which
shapes our perspective and gives us understanding of our divinity and how we
need to act, as sons and daughters of God, to shape our souls. The time
spent in prayer softens our natures and deepens our desire to live our lives
for good. It all comes down to what we spend our time here on. The lives
we lead and leave behind, when all else is stripped away, is ultimately what
illustrates who we've BECOME.
Let us not choose
the chips, but LIVE our moments, seeking what matters most! 
