Quarantine life offers time.
Time to read.
Time to catch up on TV series.
Time to exercise.
Time to do a puzzle.
Time to write.
Time to think.

I have about twelve hours left on my mandatory quarantine.
Alone in my house for 14 days.
I’ve settled into a routine.
It will change in twelve hours.

In twelve hours I will put back on that mom hat.
I will make homemade pancakes per request from my family.
I will triple the amount of laundry I’ve been doing.
I will begin making real nutritional meals, not whatever I can find. (There is a reason God gave me a family.)  
I will hug my family. (I will HUG my family!)

Before my plane left the US to fly over the Pacific Ocean, I knew that I wanted to be intentional with my time in quarantine. And I have. I pretty much did what I listed at the beginning of this post. Although, truth be told I didn’t watch as much TV since our WiFi went out due to a storm and I couldn’t let anyone in the house to look at it (probably not a bad thing).

But, I had loads of time to think. I’ve wondered about what my schedule will look like once I return to the daily life living in Taiwan. I will be entering a newer season. I won’t be planning, teaching and grading as much (only one class). I will have time that I have not had since my oldest was born (He’ll be 19 soon!).

I want to get out a planner and start filling it up with activities. White spaces scare me. I feel I might get lazy or look lazy; that I’m not doing enough for an overseas worker. Staying busy is worn like a badge.
But, I’m stopped before I even get a blank schedule printed out.

I stop because of a conversation with a friend.

She has also found herself in a new season of motherhood with time on her hands.
She is not filling up the space so quickly.
I’m challenged by this.
The question arises from the pages of my journal.
Why am I trying to fill up the empty spaces so quickly? What am I afraid of?
Have I inquired of God what He would want of me in this newer season of motherhood?

Time is one of those precious things to me.
So, why am I so quick to give it away?
I want to be intentional with my time.
I want to be intentional in who/what gets my time.

I want my next step to be right, not a page full of activities that steal my energy and joy.

I am inquiring of the Lord what it is that He wants of me this season. 

I will wait (or I promise to try to wait) before I fill up the white spaces. I know shame and guilt will knock on my door wanting me to budge. But, I don’t want the Badge of Busyness anymore. 

I want joy, peace, patience, goodness….

I want to be intentional.

How do you plan out your time? Do you tend to want to wear the Badge of Busyness? Please share in the comments your thoughts on time and schedules.

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