Redeeming the time

I am venturing into new territory because I am about to share something personal and I don’t know how it will be received.  My prayer is that you will find something useful here, because I am stepping out of my comfort zone 😉

As wives, mothers, women in general, we are usually multi-tasking, or as I like to call it ~ redeeming the time.  If I am forced to sit still in say a doctor’s waiting room, a car line or in, dum dum dum…the bathroom, I am looking for ways to redeem that time.  There are lots of things to do…clean out purse, make lists, etc, but today I want to focus on the bathroom, because many of those things are difficult to do there 🙂  I do enjoy just having some peace and quiet…I enjoy it very much because it is a rare commodity.  However,  for some reason, I do not like being shut in a small windowless room with nothing to do.  It drives me crazy!

One of our cats usually wants in, so she is some company.   I find, though, that I must read something.

So in order to redeem the time in the throne room, here a three things I do:

Magazines – that’s a no-brainer.  For a twist, though, I offer this ~ read your husbands magazines.  This way you can converse intelligently about who is favored to win the Super Bowl this year AND why… or whatever it is that makes hubby’s  heart happy. Could be computers, fishing, golf, world news. If he’s not getting a subscription to something, put that on your gift list.   Mine also happens to read comics, but I have not been able to get into those yet.  Only when there has been nothing else have I even cracked a peek at those.

Benefit: You’ve shown your husband you care about what he’s interested in, you’ve expanded your horizons, and you’ve expanded your vocabulary to include words that may come in handy in a scrabble match (true story!)

Husband Journal: I started this two Father’s Days ago because there wasn’t a card that expressed what I wanted to say to my husband.  It’s just a simple journal and pen that sit on the top of the, ahem, tank.  When I have something I want to write, I write it and leave it open for the next time he visits, which is usually in the morning before work 😉 I’s also great for thank you’s, to let him know that I’ve noticed something thoughtful he’s done.

Benefits: So many, but to pick a few, it’s a nice start to his day.  It’s a place and reminder for me to jot those little things I’m thinking that may seem too corny to say out loud, and it will be a nice keepsake of our loooove.

And finally,

Bible time: I have tried so many times to read the Bible through in a year , but I haven’t managed it in a while.  So I resorted to the final frontier.  I don’t leave my favorite Bible in there.  I had actually bought a paperback one-year Bible last year when it was on sale for less than $10 and it got used until about January 2o-something before I fell off.  So this year when Jan 1st rolled around (actually a little before – I wanted to get a head start) I put that puppy in the basket with the magazines and it’s March and I’m still going (albeit a little behind… but I’m still going  and that’s what counts, right?)

Benefits: Reading the Bible…need I say more?  No?  But can I add accomplishing a goal?  Because that will be nice, too!

And one added BONUS use! Makes a great prayer closet when you need a minute for mom out of the chaos!

We’ve taught We’re teaching our kids to respect the bathroom when anyone is in it, unless it’s an emergency, and with a few exceptions, especially when the kids are little,  it’s paid off.

And I know you’re probably wondering “how long does she stay in there?”  And the answer is no more than normal, but I’ve found that by adding together little bits of time, everyday, over a period of time,can pay big dividends.

Your turn!  Do you do any of these?  If not, how do you redeem that time?