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Ephesians 5:15-16 says, “Be very careful then, how you live, not as unwise, but as wise—making the most of every opportunity.”
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Good morning moms! Man it’s hard to get up when it’s pitch dark outside. The days are going by so fast. Summer has turned into fall in the blink of an eye.
I don’t know about you, but for me, the days seem to go by faster and faster as I get older. Things are moving at the speed of life. Watching my own daughter getting ready to have her first baby is really forcing me to re-evaluate where I’m spending my time and energy. It’s driving the point home for me that life is moving fast.
I want to encourage you spend your time doing those things that will yeild the greatest eternal impact.
Spending time with your kids is more important than Facebook, it’s more important than Pinterest, more important than your blog. It’s so easy, isn’t it, to sit down and lose ourselves in someone else’s life online. It’s easy to think that other moms have it all together—when in reality, we’re missing out on those little ones who want to play with us and spend time with us when we waste our time comparing our lives to the lives of others.
Now, I’m not talking to you about anything that I haven’t struggled with in my own life. It’s easy for me sit down at my blog and write while my children are doing other things—and often, I find that I regret not spending time with them.
Real life is happening all around us all the time. When I look into Ephesians 5, I see Paul’s exhortation that we need to make the most of every opportunity. Easier said than done, right? But spending time with our husband and children—nurturing real relationships matters.
Real life isn’t found on Facebook or Instagram or Google+ or Pinterest or your blog. Real life doesn’t look like Pinterest, no matter how much we love it! Real life is found in spending time with the ones that we love. It’s found in investing in the relationships that God has made us directly responsible for. Those relationships start with the marriage relationship, and then our children, and then relationships in other areas of life.
The relationship with the Lord is the most important of all these relationships—and when we can find a few moments to spend with the Lord in prayer each day, we can find the blessing that comes from walking with God.
If you’ve been sensing a gentle nudge toward being online less and “in life” more, I want to encourage you today to really listen to that voice. Chances are pretty good it’s the Holy Spirit, trying to remind you to focus on the things that really matter. Moms, there is always going to be time for lesser important things. But the truly important things, like spending time with your husband, talking heart-to-heart with your teens (even when they look like they’re not listening) and reading to your kids—those things won’t wait.
What is the Lord teaching you, busy mom? I hope you will feel free to share it here—it’s good to hear what God is doing in the lives of others.
Walking with you,
Thank you Heidi!! I have definitely been feeling that nudge!!
Me too Addie! We can be nudged together. 🙂 Welcome!
So, so good Heidi. Thank you for this. My homeschool schedule alone has kept my {happily} busy with my children and I have found myself engaging and writing more in the evening hours, which really works out for everyone’s advantage.
Awesome, Christin! It’s a constant struggle to find balance but it’s worth it. xoxo
I’m at the beach with my family, and I made a conscious decision to stay off Facebook this week so I can be fully present with them. My only internet time is listening to these devotionals which I have so looked forward to and am enjoying, along with my busy mom journal. Thank you!
Awesome, Lisa! Enjoy your family and welcome to the blog family! xoxo heidi
I too had the nudge a while back, and while I backed off for a while I felt things slowly going to back the way they were, and not liking it. So this is my confirmation to continue on with my effort. Thank you.
<3 Me too, Kristine. I love the way the Lord works. Gentle. He's good that way. :)
Wonderful, you are such an inspiration! I loved today’s discussion. I often times find that there is too much “stuff” going on (with 6 under 12, of course it gets a little crazy), we have been trying to say “No” more often to things that take time away from our family. Can’t wait for tomorrow’s discussion! I <3 my quiet time in the evening to contemplate what you have shared and really spend time in quiet reflection and prayer!!! 🙂
I love that, Tasha! Sometimes my quiet time is in the evening too. 🙂 Depends on how my kids and I do during the day. 🙂 blessings to you!
I couldn’t agree with you more about the need to be online less and in life more. I have chosen to not have a facebook account for that very reason. I do often look at blogs though and find myself struggling with the lure of checking them daily (not that that in itself is wrong it’s just not healthy when it takes so much of our time that other things that should be our priority suffer). I pray I’d hunger for the word more and rush to get in it like I sometimes rush to check my email.
Something I’m struggling with is how hard it is to form relationships with other women lately. I always found it easy to make friends in high school and college but anymore I find women don’t seem as interested in opening up and investing in other people’s lives. I know I need to examine myself and make sure I’m being approachable and willing to reach out to other’s but it just seems like even at places like church and MOPS women aren’t as quick to form meaningful relationships as they used to be. I have been wrestling with the thought lately that maybe all the technology we use anymore to make connections is replacing real connections and therefore we aren’t as interested or skilled at forming friendships in real life.
I’ll be the first to admit, part of my interest in people’s blogs is probably related to the fact that I’m looking for a way to be part of other people’s lives, given that I don’t experience a lot of that in real life.
As a side note, I am a stay at home mom of 3 kids. This is my first year homeschooling my oldest two (pre-K and Kindergarten). I’ve been so encouraged by your ministry! Thank you!
Hi Lana, I couldn’t agree more—it’s more effort to manage “in life” relationships and I believe that social media has made it easier to just slack off. Different seasons of life have made me more or less Internet dependent,depending on where I’m at. So keep bringing it to the Lord. He’ll help you navigate the season of motherhood well. xoxo, heidi
I gave up my Facebook. I needed to get back to my real life. I needed to get quiet with Jesus. I needed to find myself again. I wasn’t doing that anymore. Bless you, thank you for this. What a blessing I needed.
Welcome, Amy! Love that you’re “finding yourself” again by getting quiet with the Lord. That’s the REAL thing. 🙂 Welcome! xoxo, heidi
I really needed to hear it today, thank you so much!!
You’re welcome Prysylla <3 I'm glad you stopped by my blog. 🙂
This IS something I’ve been working on. Some days I’m successful others, not so much. But I am glad I stopped by to read your article, it confirmed in me that I need to try harder. Thank you!
Rosalind, this is exactly right—some days are easier than others. I’m trying harder too. Blessings to you!
LOVE the added audio! Thank you for continuing to minister to us busy moms! <3
Yay! I’m so glad you’re enjoying it Andrea! I’ve been enjoying doing them too. 🙂
It is funny how I thought I really had the whole smart phone thing under control. Then my 14 year old daughter came to me ad told me that she felt like I wasn’t listening to her – that I wasn’t pulling away from the phone when she came to talk to me! Here I thought I was being good by not sitting at the computer.
Shortly after this exchange, I listened to your podcast! Total confirmation from the Lord! I am staying off my phone during the day now and scheduling a few times throughout the day to check in on my computer, where the kids seem to understand that I’m working. 😉
That’s awesome, Marianne! I totally relate. Good for you for being sensitive to His leading!
I can testify to the fruit of removing social media from your life. I’ve done away with fb, Instagram & even my blog this year alone. God is now able to talk to me more and I am able to pray more and seek his face.
I miss a few people and am not always in the loop of the daily goings on and can’t join in on fb status conversations. Most of it is just gossip and women trying to be noticed so they receive fulfillment in who they are as a person. We need to stop validating people and let God show us how much he loves, desires and wants us. Social media takes our time from Jesus and while we think about such n such’s fb status we are not praying continuously or being thankful or loving God or loving our neighbors. Fruitful season.
Good word, Amy! Thanks for sharing with us—it’s encouraging to see God at work in the lives of others!
I gave up all social media except my blog a month ago as I was totally addicted and can also testify to how freeing it is. I actually have battery power on my phone left at the end of the day! Haha
Love your posts. I can see myself in them. Glad that i found you. I work full time . We all leave the house at 8:30 and step back in at 5:30. I can only spend quality time with my kids on weekends. Week evenings are mostly being after them to shower, home work, read, dinner and then bed time….
Welcome to The Busy Mom, Ruchi! xoxo heidi