Orange picking and saying No

Some people spend money on bedazzled sneakers and jewel crusted dog collars while being up to their eyeballs in debt.  Have you ever met those people who just have no clue how to manage their money?  You know, the ones who go out and blow all their money the first few days of the month and then end up living on rice and beans until the next paycheck arrives.  They are spontaneous and fun but get to know them better and they are a tornado of chaos. 

                      

My husband and I are big Dave Ramsey fans.  Maybe you like him, maybe you don't, and maybe you have no idea who I am talking about (get on google!) but opinions aside, he makes you think about money.  One thing my buddy Dave talks about is what to do when you have an erratic income.  How do you have an organized budget when you never know when or how much your going to get paid.  Dave's solution is a prioritized list of bills.  First you take care of basic necessities (Food, utilities, rent/mortgage) and then you pay debts.  Basically, when the paycheck arrives you pay for the things on the top of the list and work your way down.  When you run out of money that's when you stop paying. 

I think this plan can be applied to more than just finances.  As a missionary I can be pulled at from several directions at once.  Some times are quite busy and other times are quieter and a bit calmer.  Its not a steady paycheck of time. And if I am not careful, I can get a bit overwhelmed by so much opportunity that I forget to look at my list of priorities.    Being careful with my time helps me be in charge of my schedule rather than opportunity leading me. 

My priorities currently go with me each time I plan out my schedule.   When I sit and plan out my calendar I keep this list close to my mind so that I can be sure to put opportunity in order of priority.  Instead of life being controlled by the constant flow of things to do, it is carefully planned so that I have more freedom to focus my time where it needs to be.  There is freedom in planning. 

This past week I was out in the province with  my dear co-worker Jennifer and we were visiting a sweet woman who lives 30 minutes down a dirt road in the suburbs of nowhere.  After we spent some time in discipling her in scripture she asked us if we wanted some oranges to take home with us.  We said yes and to make a long story short, we ended up trekking down a steep embankment following this sweet woman who was yielding a machete in a Rambo fashion and she showed us how incapable we were at plucking oranges from a 20 foot high tree.  We came home with 4 grocery bags full of oranges and a nice dose of humility. 

                                                             
Without priorities those moments of connection would be obsolete.  Without careful planning I would not have the freedom to go pick oranges. I would waste time doing good things instead of seeking out the best.  I have time to build relationships because I have learned to say no to certain opportunities in my life.  Ephesians 5:15 says "Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil."  "No" is not a bad thing to learn how to say.  It just means that you value yourself and your own priorities that God has laid on your heart. 

Without the word No in my vocabulary I would be at church 5 nights a week, teaching English to every child in my town, and not have nearly enough time to do the ministry God has called me to do.  None of those things are bad, but they aren't at the top of my list. So, I learned to say that word.  I learned No.  And because of No, I got to have a great cup of orange juice this morning and I have a discipling friendship in bloom.