" Phone rings
Clerk: Employment office
Lady: I need a job
Clerk: All I have is a dishwasher for $1.20 per hour
Lady: (insulted and angry) That’s absurd! No one works for $1.20 per hour these days! Why I’d never...(fades out)
You say you’d never work for $1.20 per hour? When at home do you eat from paper plates or regular plates? If you use regular plates you will likely spend 30 seconds on each plate scraping it clean, washing it and putting it away. Maybe a bit less with a dishwasher or a bit more by hand but we’ll say half a minute on average. That means that you could do two plates per minute or 120 plates per hour.
Paper plates can be purchased in bulk for about a penny a piece. You throw them away instantly when done. Do that 120 times and you have saved yourself one hour of work. What did it cost you? $1.20. So unless you are willing to work for $1.20 per hour consider using paper plates as a way to redeem.
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"There are two things a marathon runner tries to avoid: running out of energy before finishing a race and crossing the finish line with energy to spare.
Paul compares the Christian life to running a race. Redeeming the time requires pacing ourselves. Some think it heroic to burn themselves out at an early age boasting, “I’d rather burn out than rust out”. Others never burn out because they never get lit.
But burning out or rusting out are not the only two options. God’s way is to move forward at a steady pace as He gently guides us and shows us the way.
Redeeming the time means pacing ourselves for maximum effectiveness for the Lord.
And while pacing is good strategy for life, and it’s also an effective approach to daily tasks. What good is it to accomplish a day’s work before lunch if it leaves you with no further energy for the afternoon. So keep the pace. Keep the faith. Win the race. Redeem the time.
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"It has been said that we tend to overestimate what we can accomplish in one year, but we also tend to underestimate what we can accomplish in 5 years.
Long range planning is a valuable exercise for gaining control of our time. Long range goals give a sense of purpose and direction to our lives. They let us know where we’re going and allow us to plan how we’ll get there. Long range plans give vision and hope.
Ultimately the most important long range plan is where we plan to spend eternity. God says it is appointed unto man once to die, and after this the judgement. Have you made your plans for eternity yet? If not, you have never made the most important decision of your life. Settling the question of your eternal destiny is the most important way to redeem the time.
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"Did you hear about the dad who was left in charge of the family while his wife was in the hospital. He told the children they couldn’t have any Kool-aid because he couldn’t figure out how to get a quart of water into that tiny little package.
The dad lacked some basic kitchen skills. Here’s two ideas for improving your kitchen:
1. Look at how your kitchen is arranged. Are the things you use often in the most accessible locations? For example, There should be at least two sets of salt and pepper shakers, one for the stove to use while cooking another in the dining area for use while eating. Remember, larger shakers don’t have to be filled as often.
2. If you have young children, put at least some glasses and silverware low enough that they can get it themselves. Not only does it relieve you from getting their spoons and drinks, but children as young as 3 and 4 years old can sort silverware from the dishwasher and put cups away if they can reach them.
Keeping your kitchen functional is a way to redeem the time.
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