It’s 6:25 PM… if my life was condensed into a day. What time are you at?

Recently, I read something that gave me pause for thought. It expressed different ages as the time of day in a 24 hour period. Based on me being 50, it said I was at 6:25 PM. Needless to say, it was later than I thought! 

What is your time of day?

Tick tock, tick tock.

Now, given my mind has a need for accuracy,  I immediately started doing the calculations. I’ve no idea what they were using as average life expectancy assumptions but my estimate would be that I’m probably closer to 3 PM, or maybe 4 PM. Regardless, condensing a lifetime to the unit of one day created in me a sense of urgency.  I didn’t want to get hung up on the specific number, which would have been easy for me to do, and miss the real value of answering the question:

What will I do with the remainder of my day? What will you do with the remainder of your day?

Our time on earth is finite. We all know this, of course, but it’s easy to forget it in the routine of day to day living. We have no idea when our time may be up. Even if we live a full and long life, our time is limited, our day is passing. How are we using it?

I find it SO easy to squander time. How about you? Don’t get me wrong, I definitely see value to enjoying down time, quiet time, time to just veg. But isn’t it all too easy to slip into comfortable habits that may not be very constructive, even lazy, for prolonged periods of time? We don’t mean to but we descend into the abyss of NetFlix, social media, sleeping or whatever and time stealthily slips by with little to show for it.

But as I think of my time of day, I’m reminded that I’m God’s unique creation. Thoughtfully crafted, with a specific plan and purpose that only I can fulfill. And, so are you. 

Ephesians 2:10 beautifully states this for us to ponder, absorb and respond to: 

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

So, as we think about our time of day, let’s not dwell on how much has passed. Rather, let’s focus on the time we still have. What are those things written on your heart, seeded in your mind, evident in your talents?

Want to volunteer at the food shelter? Sign up and do it. Always dreamt of starting a side hustle for your creative pursuits? Take the first step.  Want to learn the piano? Make a plan to get one and take lessons. More time with the kids? Figure out what adjustments can be made and make it happen.

Let’s not wait until all things are perfectly in place to do the things we’ve always wanted to. As a recovering perfectionist, this is something that has tripped me up in the past. And, sometimes, still does. 

No more, “I wished I’d done this when I was younger” … “I’m too young” … “I don’t have enough experience/knowledge/time” … “I’ll do it when….”

Let’s just start. Get moving. Learn along the way. Expect mistakes and be thankful for the learning that comes from them. Celebrate small milestones as if they were big. Because they are. Because we started. 

We’re on the journey of our lives. We were created for this. Let’s spend our day wisely, never forgetting to see the beauty in, and around, us. Let’s be sure to delight in the joy and fun of big, and small, moments. Let’s get going living the life we were created to.

When our day is done, my prayer is that we will know the peace of a life well lived. And, for sure, that’s something worth celebrating!