How do you combat being selfish with your time? As a single person, it's easy to get caught up in our own little independent world. There are those moments when we are needed for extra church things, hanging with our friends' kids, getting caught up with something on the one night we could stay in, etc., and we get frustrated that the needs of others are taking away from our own time. How do you avoid this selfish tendency and what do you do to avoid becoming frustrated with "sharing" your time with others?
Since I had a lot of positive feedback on last week's prompt {great big thank you for all the sweet comments!}, I trust that you will read with grace this week.
For the most part, I think I do okay at this. I'm part of the childcare ministry. There is a family at church whose kids I adore, so I'll "donate" a few hours of babysitting time. In the next few weeks, I'm going to start volunteering at the local hospital as a baby cuddler, and of course there's Care Net {sensing a theme, maybe?}. Most of the time I'm aware that singleness is a season and that I won't always have opportunities to get involved with different organization like I do now. I'm grateful for this time where I can juggle several different commitments.
However, I struggle with serving my grandma with a good attitude. There, I said it. It's easy for me to get involved with church or volunteer activities because I'm a people person and there are people involved in each capacity :) But when my grandma asks me to help her with something, internally I'm sighing and rolling my eyes and wishing that she would utilize one of her granddaughters who lives with her. I'm selfish because I would rather not help my grandma.
How lame, Bek. You don't like to help your 90-year-old grandmother.
I know. And I'm working on it. I'm remembering that she is 90, that someday I will be grateful for all the time I got with her, that someday should become rightthisminute. I'm working on it. I'm trying to concentrate on what a wonderful lady my grandma is and how much she can teach me and how glad I am that she's asking me to drive her places instead of wanting to drive herself {it took a while for my grandpa to give up the keys, but thankfully Grandma willingly asks for rides}. I'm grateful that Grandma is still here with us and that she's healthy and active and participating in the Daughters of the American Revolution and asking me for help with the computer because how many 90-year-olds ask email questions?!?
I combat selfishness with gratitude and the grace of God. It's an ongoing battle, but I know that I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.
Want to join the link-up? Answer the prompt and share the link to that post on Morgan or Jen's page. Hope to see you there!
God had to work a lot of selfishness out of me when I began taking care of my mom. There were some very difficult days and times where I sighed when my alone time in the morning was over. Be honest about your struggle and pray about it a lot because it will take a lot of prayer to get over it. I am grateful that I'm not the same person I was, but I'm praying now that I won't be that person again.
ReplyDeleteAlso, give yourself a little grace...the grace God has given you. And rely on God's strength to keep serving your grandma.
Wow, this is so honest, Bek! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to volunteer as a "baby cuddler"! There's nothing better than finding some way to give back that doesn't seem like "work". And I definitely know where you're coming from in the grandma department. My one and only remaining grandparent lives 5 hrs away, but I think back to family gatherings when my grandma (passed in July) would sit alone because it was too hard for her to join in the conversation and understand was going on. I wish I would have taken more time to talk to her one on one rather than my "obligatory" 2 min hello-goodbye conversation.
I'll keep you and your grandma in my prayers! :)
Ummm...I can totally relate. Thanks for sharing this, Bek! :)
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