Torch, Fall 1982

6 recorder takes dictation for you as you drive to or from work . Priorities. Calendars and schedules are all helpful, but it is also possible to schedule too much and overbook your calendar. To guard against this danger, good time managers set priorities. Five tasks may be important to accomplish when only one can be done, so decide on an order of importance . Time Management at Home If you are married, a top priority should be your wife. Time must be daily allocated to her if you wish to have a joyful marriage. Your wife should be your best friend as well as your mate. With this in mind it is my opinion that you should engage in activities together. She may participate or she may be a spectator, but do not leave her at home while you go out to "have fun." Look for activities that she will also enjoy so 'that you can do them together. This is wise use of your time! I have found that a good time to be with your wife is when you dry the dishes for her . It gives you a few minutes of conversation time after dinner for each to communicate all the ideas, thoughts, and events that have occurred during the day. Also, each time you come close to or pass your wife in the home , it is a very wise use of time to give her a hug, a squeeze, or a kiss. It shows her that you care. She thrives on the attention. It is interesting, beneficial, and exciting for the whole family to share their day's events. This is time well spent in fellowship and communication whereby we can help and encourage each other. Of course, sometimes we have to wait our tum to tell all that has happened because we all want to talk at once. I feel that this is one of the reasons that we have had such a close family . Since the home is the foundational unit of society and God has given it top priority, husbands should try to make it possible for wives to spend full time at home caring for the home and children. My wife has not worked outside the home, but she has helped with our once part-time and now full -time business. The wife can find many things that she can do from the home to earn extra income, and this is wise use of her time. I felt that it was important that I be with my family so, as the Lord led us into a part-time and now a full-time business, we have operated it from the home . This meant that while the children needed me during their growing years, I was available even if I was working . Also, then as now , our time was more flexible so that I could stop work and we could do things together as a family. We have foul)d that being self-employed has the advantages of being able to spend time together on a more flexible schedule. My wife can sometimes ride with me when I travel, we can take short "play" breaks during the day and throw the frisbee, or sometimes she will fix brunch on the patio at 9 or IO o'clock in the mornmg. When our children were small , we found that wise use of our time was to be with them for their instruction and rearing , and we only occasionally used the services of a babysitter . Instead , we took them with us! We were later involved with them in school activities such as plays and sports. A good time to talk with your children and to teach them is while riding in the car. You can discuss things you see while riding , teach Bible verses or truths , and have good fellowship. We found that as the children were able to help in our part-time business , it was a good learn ing experience. They were able to earn money to go to a Christian school and then to college. I have always enjoyed working and being active and have found that I can maintain a very busy schedule and still honor the Lord in all that I do. One way to honor Him is by not pursuing business on Sunday. I feel that the Lord's day is His time and that we should celebrate His resurrection by ceasing our daily activities and coming apart for worship, rest, and rejuvenation for the coming week. Our body and soul need the rest. One of the first men I worked for , to my knowledge, was not a Christian. He said that he could ask his employees to work six days a week , I0-12 hours a day for months at a time , but when he tried to work them seven days a week, their efficiency soon dropped drastically. Jesus Christ is our example of a person who managed His time wisely. As a boy He went about His Father's business (Luke 2:49). When He fed the 5,000 , He had the people sit down in rows of 50 and I00 so that His disciples could efficiently pass out the food (Mark 6:40), and He often rose up early to pray (Mark I :35). Of importance is Christ's motivation for managing His time well. He did it to serve others (Mark 10:45) , and this should be our reason also. Ultimately, we will get more accomplished and in a more pleasing manner. And much will be done for the good of others and to the glory of God (I Peter 4: I0) .