A Practical Tip for Me Time

I have to be honest, I did not come up with this tip on my own.  It is, however, a great tip!  I know it came from Lysa Terkeurst, and I THINK it was from her book "The Bathtub is Overflowing But I Feel Drained."  (Recently updated and re-released under the name "Am I Messing Up My Kids.")  You should read all of her books however, she is an awesome lady with an awesome testimony and desire to show women how to REALLY live for Christ. 

The two main issues I have seen come up with the "me time" discussions are time and money.  So, here is tip that can help take advantage of what precious little time you have for yourself with very little or as much money as you want to put into it.  It is called a "me time box."  It can be a shoe box, a tote, whatever.  It might include your current devo book and Bible, or an extra Bible if your regular one is too large.  It might have a favorite magazine that can be changed out as needed, or a novel your are currently working on.  I haven't made mine yet, but I think I will soon, and here is what I have planned for it:


1. A small copy of the Bible
2. A devotional book with a selection of short devotionals
2. Whatever magazine I currently have that I haven't finished
3. A small bag of almond M&Ms
5. A cute, small note book
6. A fun ink pen
7. A yummy scented hand lotion
8. A trial size pack of flavored coffee
9. A small timer

Do you see the beauty of this?  I think I will use a bag I got at a recent health fair until I want to let go of the money to spend on something new... you could keep it in your car in case you have a few minutes waiting to pick up kiddos or something.  A lot of the stuff I included I get often from signing up for freebies online.  For example, I recently signed up for a zebra ink pen and some intensive hand lotion that should be arriving soon.  Those are NO COST items that I do not have to feel guilty about.  The M&Ms might be $1.  The coffee is $1.50, $.75 on sale... it will make 2-4 cup pots, so I will get a couple of uses out of 1 pack.  I have a couple of magazine subscriptions using Amazon gift cards from Swagbucks, so that is free also:)  Now for the time issue.. what good is this if you don't get time to use it.  That is the best part.  This set up allows you to make the most of short spurts of "dead time" so you can pamper yourself, in small ways, during these rare moments.  Say I pull up to work after lunch with 5 minutes before I have to be back at my desk.  Out comes my magazine and a handful of M&Ms:)  Or, say I am especially drained and just HAVE to have a minute to myself.  After I put the kids to bed, I brew a cup of my coffee while I put some clothes in the washer, I then proceed to pour my coffee, ignoring the clothes that need to be folded, take out my Bible, notebook, pen, and another handful of M&Ms and set my timer for 10 minutes (or however long fits for you).  I pray, journal, study, meditate, and enjoy my coffee until the timer goes off and then I go fold the clothes:)

There, you have a practical way to make the most of whatever "you" time you might be able to scratch up, that can be virtually guilt free.  I know, I know, it's not much, but hey, I will take what I can get!  Be creative with what you might put in your box/ bag... leave a comment and let us know.... I think it would be so fun to see what we all might use to make the most of our "me" time and get some ideas from each other.

One last thing, let's say a prayer over our boxes as we prepare them.  Let's pray that God helps us to recognize the moments He might give us to use it, and that he will bless those moments so that we come out of them being better mother, wives, emplyees, and more than any of that, better daughters of Christ.  Let's pray that we come out of those moments knowing Him better and loving Him more.