I‘ve wasted a lot of time waiting on somedays: Someday I’ll make a workable cleaning schedule and then we’ll have company more often. Someday I’ll become a morning person and have quiet devotionals and get things accomplished before everyone else gets out of bed. Someday I’ll take a class on graphic design and create the things floating around in my head. Someday we’ll have more money and . . .
The list goes on.
Do you wait for somedays? What do yours look like?
Someday we’ll have a house that’s big enough for entertaining.
Someday I’ll have children and be a stay at home mom.
Someday the kids will be older and I won’t be so tired.
Someday the kids will be grown and I’ll do all those things I’ve waited to do.
Someday I’ll have a bigger blog and more opportunities will come from it.
Someday I’ll write a book and then I’ll consider myself a real writer.
Do you see yourself in any of these somedays?
Planning ahead isn’t a bad thing. God has plans for us, as he tells us in Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Although God has a future planned for us, I don’t think there are periods when we’re supposed to be in a holding pattern, waiting for those “somedays” before we dive in and do the work he’s put in front of us.
If you always think of yourself as a work in progress, when will you consider yourself ready to accomplish anything?
Years ago my children and I arrived at an early morning event with our homeschool group. This was when my kids were little and a new one was born about every two years. That period was a blur of swollen belly and ankles; babies nursing through the night; diaper changes; and arms strong from carrying infant car seats. I’d fixed my hair and makeup and all of the kids wore shoes and clean clothes—a victory!
Afterwards a couple of young mothers told me of their struggle: they desired more children, but didn’t know if they could do it, if they could handle the strain of the day-to-day and still hang onto their sanity.
My family’s presence that day—the fact that the kids and I looked happy and reasonably put together—was just what they needed to see. It gave them hope that the seemingly impossible might be possible after all.
God used me to encourage these women when I was knee-deep in financial worries, sleep deprivation, and dreaming of those mythical somedays ahead, living in a state of minute-to-minute dependence on him. In 2 Corinthians 12:9 he tells us:
My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
God doesn’t need our strength or worldly success in order to use us. In fact, those things might fool others—or us—into thinking that the credit is ours instead of his.
You don’t need a bigger house before you can welcome others to your home. You don’t need a large readership for your words to encourage. You don’t need children of your own to find souls in need of nurturing.
Be satisfied with the gifts and circumstances that God’s given you right here, right now, and use them to his glory.
What somedays are you waiting for?
by Dawn Camp, My Home Sweet Home
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This really spoke to me, Dawn. I didn’t realize how much I steal from my moments by looking ahead to somedays and how I base my decisions off of somedays, dissatisfied with or not trusting Him with the circumstances He gives me in the now.
Amy, you’re right – sometimes we’re saying (whether we realize it or not) that we’re not satisfied with what God’s given us.
Someday I’ll write a book and then I will really be a writer…bingo! Thanks for the reminder that I don’t have to have a huge readership in order to be an encouragement to others. Ready to dig in to today and not always be dreaming about someday! Thanks for sharing!!
Blessings,
Bev
Bev, just keep on writing! God can use your words to bless no matter the size of the audience.
Wonderful, Dawn! Just what I know but needed to hear again as I lament another “rejection” that would have helped me reach that elusive “someday.”
Julie, I hope your rejection doesn’t bring you down for too long. Shine today and let “someday” happen when it may.
“You don’t need a large readership for your words to encourage. ”
^^^thank you. I really needed that this week.
Aprille, just keep writing!
Wow! God’s timing is always perfect. I needed to hear this message from him today…Thank you so much for letting God use you and your talents as a writer….The past couple of weeks, actually months I hav been having this internal dialogue about these same things….I will choose to be present today and let him use me today however, he sees fit. 🙂 Thanks for the reminder! 🙂
“I will choose to be present today and let him use me today however, he sees fit.” – love this!
Dawn,
God has so loudly spoken to me through your words this morning. I am a natural ‘someday’ girl, and I know that this is an area that He just keep bringing me back to.
Thanks for being His voice to me today,
Carole
Carole, you are so welcome. Thank you for your comment.
It is so true that we must live in the “here and now” to enjoy each moment as a day to be given to the Lord and to serve Him with all our heart, soul, mind and body. I enjoyed the fact the author stresses that we miss out on the daily joys when we are always focused on the future that we wait for.
You had me at the first line! I say that same someday about cleaning and company. Thank you for this encouragement today. It’s just what I needed. Cheers!
Elle, I’ve been cleaning my house all day because I invited nearly 30 women over tomorrow night! I have no idea who will come, but I’m making the effort to entertain. Thankfully my husband and kids have helped a lot today!
Husbands and family are such good help, and they really are happy to help, especially when they feel noticed and appreciated for doing so. I always try to express my feelings of gratitude to each of them for their efforts. What more appreciated displays of love could they offer than their help? And, I have noticed they are willing to help the next time, if they see and feel my love in return.
Wise words!
Through all of this I smile and nod my head – Someday I’ll get round to decorating the hall (5 years I’ve been saying that one!), someday I’ll host friends ( I know that one!) Someday I’ll think I’m where I’m supposed to be! Yet, this is such an encouraging reminder that I am exactly where I’m meant to be, this week I want to look around and see al I have instead of always straining to look ahead.
Thank you so much for this 🙂
Tania, start small, one decoration at a time in that hallway. And maybe you could invite friends out to meet you at a favorite restaurant or coffee shop, but make it special with a theme (book club, favorite things exchange, etc.) so it feels like you’re hosting.
I’ll add my “Thank you” to those above. Indeed, finding satisfaction in today’s circumstances and the gifts already bestowed, allow us to be used to the utmost for God’s glory, here and now. Great wisdom, thoughtfully shared.
Thanks for the encouragement, Nancy!
My someday is a different job something more satisfying and worthwhile. Someplace I feel I can make an honest contribution and not just get a paycheck. My hubby’s secret someday is he’d like to be able to retire and he doesn’t see how or when yet.
I know God has plans for us and will put us where He wants us to be used.
I try daily to encourage people around me and myself, too. I keep a “Thankful” list of ALL the wonderfully, beautiful gifts God has bestowed on me. I update it daily with my thanks for that day. Trying to change my focus onto HIM and what I can do for His Kingdom!
“You don’t need a bigger house before you can welcome others to your home.”
I love our home but it always bothered me that I don’t have a big enough dining table to comfortably seat my girlfriends, while we fellowship over fresh brewed coffee and my homemade signature cookies 🙁
“You don’t need a large readership for your words to encourage. ”
Just thinking my words simply can’t go that far right now .. wondering if they even make a difference. Guess I’m “looking” for a difference rather than thanking God for the opportunity. Period.
“You don’t need children of your own to find souls in need of nurturing.”
The “someday I will have children . . ” mindset seems to have crippled my heart enough to selfishly live for only myself. Years pass and still no children because of a medical condition. More years pass and an opportunity arises that I begin to mentor and befriend a teen so much so, that she thinks of me as a mother and calls me “Mom” 🙂
To this day, four months later, she still talks to me, asks me for advice, lets me see her cry when someone hurts her feelings, tells me that she loves me and calls me “Mom”. Like she was my own <3
Wow. I can’t beleive it. It’s like you have read my mind. I’ve been “waiting” not so patiently for some debts to get paid off so my husband and I can be freed up to go to the mission field. I have been saying “some day” it feels like all my life! I know that God is using my life in a daily basis, but I guess I didn’t feel like it was as BIG as it should be. So thanks for helping me to see that the whole world is a mission field!
Thank you for reminding of someday Dawn. I started my blog with that in mind, but let other things keep me from getting on with parts of my life
“Some day” I will write that novel. It’s a great story, I am sure of it. 😉 In the meantime, I shall enjoy making the most of each day as it comes.
Oh, Dawn. Spot on. How many somedays do I keep at arm’s distance? Thanks for the beautiful words you crafted to remind us that we need not rely on our own strength. We’re not meant to because it will never be enough. But thankfully we know where our real strength lies.
Wow! Someday Beth is pretty fantastic but it’s so nice to know that Today Beth is enough Thank you.
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