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Often when we are consumed with the daily tasks of caregiving, we do more reacting to situations than acting upon them. Such was the case recently as I faced an unusual dilemma at our country home.

For several days, some stray chickens wandered up and down the gravel road in front of our house. Most moved on or were captured except for one lone fat, white hen.

My family and I had to be out of town a few days and I was sure she would disappear like the others while we were gone. We returned late and tired only to find our front porch was filled with leaves, feathers, and “presents” from the hen. She had claimed a soft cushioned chair as her personal roost.

This chicken was more than a nuisance to me; I abhorred her messes; I was not at all pleased with what she was doing to my flowerbeds and front yard; and I was frustrated over all the failed efforts to get rid of her. No one claimed ownership; friends promising help never showed up.

I resented the time she stole from me; I needed to be focused on other duties, not finding a home for a chicken. I considered a fried chicken dinner with biscuits and gravy as an option until I recalled what it takes to get from live chicken to frying pan!

Today I quietly watched her through our screen door. She was a beautiful bird, only God could color those feathers exactly right so they formed a beautiful pattern on her wings. She strutted around as if she were queen of her domain; and, at that moment, she was!

As that proud bird hunted and pecked in the green grasses, I thought of families who would give much to have just one chicken. There are hungry people here in America as well as in other countries. A stray bird could mean an occasional egg for breakfast or perhaps make several meals including stock for a soup.

We and those we care for will go to bed tonight with full tummies (without killing the chicken) and someone will eventually claim her as their own. I will replant my flowers and scrub the porch and wait for the next great adventure to unfold.

Wherever you are in your life’s journey, I pray today you can look at those inevitable “stray chickens” that come to roost in a different light. What would God have you see from the experience? No matter how heavy your load, do you have a little something you might share to encourage another right now? What can you choose to be thankful for in your present situation?

“If you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” Isaiah 58:10-11

Hugs,

P.S. In counting my blessings, you are tops. Thanks for dropping by; don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter and keep your eye out for “stray chickens.”

First, let me say the obvious, there is no more time. We have twenty four hours in each day, no more and no less. Therefore, what we do in that time may need evaluating.

What takes up your day? Do you often miss appointments and have to reschedule them? How much time is spent searching for some needed item? Do you simply reshuffle unending stacks of papers?

Are you absolutely overwhelmed and far too busy to organize? After you care for your loved one, your family, and yourself, there is neither time nor energy left for any project.

I have a simple solution for you and you can do it. Carefully read through the following helps and choose one item you will work on-just one! Try this for a week and I promise you will feel less stressed and more productive.

1. Declutter. Start small; do not take on an entire room! Each day choose one table or one drawer to clean out. Be sure to have a trash bag handy and use it! Bonus: by doing only one area at a time, you can return items to their proper place as you sort. Do you hear that? Do not make another stack somewhere!

2. Calendar Everything. Everything. Hang a very large calendar in a highly visible area, preferably near a telephone. Thumbtack a string to the wall with a pencil attached. We all know that pencils have a mind of their own and walk off when you aren’t looking.

3. Keep a to-do list. Each night make a list for the next day. Very important: keep this list short and do-able. There will be unavoidable interruptions—it’s the law of the land—allow for them as you make your list.

4. Do it now. As much as possible, tend to menial tasks immediately. Mail is a good example; it accumulates quickly while you are busy caring for others. Set aside five or ten minutes each day to deal with the mail (with our faithful trash sack handy).

5. Identify your personal time-robbers. In looking at my own schedule and applying these tips, I discovered the appeal of a new sales flyer or magazine kept me mesmerized for way too long. What to do? If I lay them aside for later I add to my “stacks of stuff”. I am learning to choose–you know this one–my faithful trash sack!

Trusting you enjoy all God’s blessings as you learn to wisely use the precious time He has given each of us.

Hugs,

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