The Partridge Family aired
on TV from 1970-1974 during the time I was raising my two young sons. It was a
wholesome program for the whole family to watch. David Cassidy (Keith Partridge) played the
oldest son in the musical touring group.
Every teenage boy wanted to look, sing, and play guitar like him, and
his good looks made him a heartthrob for every teenage girl. In other words, he had it all.
By the mid-1980s, he
was broke and addicted to alcohol. His multiple marriages and relationships
indicate he had a troubled life. A felony conviction from driving under the
influence occurred in 2014. Soon after, he was diagnosed with Dementia and the
effect of alcoholism was destroying his liver.
David Cassidy died on
November 21, 2017. His daughter, Katie Cassidy, thanked those who loved and
supported the family during their trying time, and added that her father’s last
words were:
“So Much Wasted Time”
Those four words have
haunted me ever since I heard them. I
don’t know about you, but I don’t want those or similar words to be the last
thing people remember about me. Instead,
I want to hear the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 25:21:
“Well done my good and
faithful servant.”
As we start a new year,
it’s appropriate to think about all the time wasters that keep us from doing
our best. Below are the top four that are a challenge for me and probably for
you, too.
1.
Darkness — We have just experienced the
Winter Solstice- the longest night and the shortest day of the year. I love daylight and too much darkness makes
me lethargic. My energy level goes down
and I have a harder time getting going in the mornings. I want to eat too many carbs and not
exercise. Overcoming inertia is a daily challenge. Spending too much time
scrolling through Facebook and other Apps makes me sedentary and I am less
productive.
Solution: There's nothing I can do about the darkness, but I can get moving and throw away the sweets.
2. Bad Habits — We all have them-things we
do that could be replaced with more productive habits. Scrolling the internet for sales and items to
order—and often send back—is time consuming.
Shopping and deciding once I get it home to return it is another time
thief. I could use that time and save money, too, by being less impulsive.
Solution: Spending more time relating to other people
and praying for needs is a much more productive habit to cultivate.
3. Procrastination — It is defined as the
action of delaying or postponing something.
Or as humorist Mark Twain said, “Never put off till tomorrow what may be
done day after tomorrow just as well.” I
am not normally a procrastinator, but this past year I’ve found myself rushing
around at the last minute trying to do something that should have been done
the day before. During the lead up to
Christmas, I found myself waiting in long lines at stores and the post office.
I should have mailed the package the week before the Christmas crush.
It’s a good lesson for me because I’ve not had much patience for others who
procrastinate.
Solution: Work at tasks every day, so that they won’t
pile up at the end. How do you eat an elephant?
“One bite at a time.”
4. Clutter — Too much stuff in an
unorganized condition makes life more difficult and robs us of time that could
be more productive. We all have clutter, but too much can harm our productivity
and emotional health. I waste too much time looking for car keys, glasses,
gloves, and my cell phone, to name a few.
Sooner or later lost things show up, but if I’m trying to get out the
door, I will often be late for that appointment.
Solution: Start the New Year right by finding a place
for everything. Give away the excess so
that I can keep and enjoy the essential. Take time at night, instead of
watching TV in my recliner, and put the house in order.
An American Founding
Father wrote similar words to the quote by David Cassidy.
‘You may delay, but
time will not, and lost time is never found again.” – Benjamin Franklin
"I choose grace to cover all the flaws I see in myself and remember I am not made wrong." Alia Joy
ReplyDeleteIt helps me to remember my position in Christ Jesus and how He looks at me... I'm hoping that I can grow in that knowledge this new year so as to lift HIM up and be made more like Him. Thank you for this great post. Carleen Newton
Very good advise Frieda, for us all. I am now looking at the stuff in the cabinets that were totally empty two years ago. Where did it come from? Now I just need the energy to begin. Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteI am procrastinating with my clutter problem 'cause I am afraid that I "might need it later"!!!
ReplyDeleteBBT
Frieda, Your four challenges are mine as well. Thank you for writing so clearly what I needed to see in print. Karen Cerny
ReplyDelete