S03E010, Calendars, Organisation and Peace, Andy B 2 Minute Video

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Psalm 139 is a fairly well known piece of scripture, but it is verse 2 that really strikes Andy B as he considers Calendars, Organisation and Peace.

Psalm 139 v 2 tells us that God knows when we sit down and when we get up. So God definitely has a handle on what we can accomplish in any single day – for Him.

There will be seasons when we have little choice – perhaps younger children, or sickness. But there, are too often, busy days just because we’re trying to be superheroes for Jesus, when He already did that part for us!

The Berry family use a simple white board to organise each week, and Andy B has taken to a smaller notepad – for himself – to ensure he is only doing what God is asking him to do each day.

And what a peace it brings!

Psalm 139 (ESV) O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me! They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain. Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Just a thought...

Andy B

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So another Andy B 2 Minute Vlog and I was, erm, thinking about Diaries and Calendars.

Erm, watching a video this morning. It was a Lauren Daigle song - You Say - and there's a girl has done the sign language to it so that others can sing along, through sign.

It was a really beautiful thing to see, and this girl was obviously taking some time, and she's let the song, and she's let the sign language, and she's learnt to get it together - and in time and, and, not just that, she doing in a really really amazing way!

So it kind of inspired me about, you know, how can we help others and what can we offer as human beings - to give to other people.

But then I got thinking about how as a family we were trying to fit things into the week, and like when are we supposed to do this, or supposed to do that and with the BerryBunch, and with home education, and Jo's work, and all the other things that make up family life.

And we were thinking 'well let's take this out, and put this there, and well let's move that over there'.

And in the end we've gone back to a really old system that we used - many, many times in the past - and, er, we've got a big white board split into 8 squares (rectangles) and we write down on the day when Jo's at work.

Then we work out when we're supposed to do other things, and we just fit it all together. And whatever time is left, we can do other things that we might want to do, and choose to do.

Erm, and all this stuff has been making me think, erm, where is it that God wants us to be able to give more to Him?

And sometimes we look at our schedules and think 'it's not going to happen; I can't fit it all in!'.

But we're never going to be busier than God wants us to be, unless we choose to be: God doesn't want us to be too busy - that would be contrary to what I understand of scripture.

Erm, and we lose our peace, and we get stressed and anxious.

So, with how we assess our working week; our work at school, or in college, or work, or at home - whatever your role might be; a stay-at-home dad like me, or whatever: we've go to fit lot of things in.

So how do we fit those things in?

Well I've got around here, I have a journalist list notepad, and in the mornings I fill this up (haven't done it today - yet).

I fill it up with the things I need to do and then I go off and pray about it.

I'll write down that list, and I can prioritise what I want to do. But rather that just doing a, you know, a normal way of looking at a priorities list and whatever, I pray it through.

And if it doesn't get done, it goes to the next day: the things that I know God's asking me to do - that's what I do.

And I found, having done that. I'm less stressed, and less anxious, and less frustrated with not getting things done.

Because now I feel like everything's covered in prayer; I'm getting done what God is asking me to do.

So where is God asking you: just take some time out look at what you think you're supposed to be doing, and coming before God and saying 'what is it you want me to do' for His Kingdom.

Maybe it's doing the sign language to a song for others to enjoy.

Or maybe it's something else.

Just a thought.