I prepare for many things each year and month and week and even every day. I usually have to prepare 1 or 2 meals each day though I have been blessed with help in this since it has become so painful to walk. I am so grateful for the help. I prepare for bedtime each night. I have a routine that leads to feeling like I missed something if I forget even one thing in my routine. And if we have to change our routine, then it is hard to remember the steps that I usually do.
My morning routine has changed! I get up a bit early and prepare to spend an hour doing some muscle building exercises as I prepare for upcoming hip surgery.
Then I prepare for the day as I consider everything on my to do list and then decide how to spend my day. Recently I have had to prepare for several appointments concerning that surgery and other health related things. Part of my preparation involves preparing my mind to be at ease and to be calm. This preparation for me is only possible when I remember that God will take care of me and see me through everything. That is not so easy for someone who has dreaded medical appointments for years. Still, with God it is possible to turn it over to Him and face my dreads with a bit of calmness. But---my preparing has seemed like it will never end. I feel a bit out of control of my life, and am trying to let my appointments happen without worry, concern, distress, etc.
During the week, I prepare for Friday and the coming Sabbath. I was raised with the idea that Sabbath needed to be prepared for by sundown on Friday night-- before sundown. All cleaning, all food, all clothing had to be ready for Sabbath as the sun went down on Friday afternoon. Only then were we ready to meet with our Friend Jesus. I still am driven to have something ready for Sabbath lunch that is almost ready to eat. If I neglect to prepare, then I can't enjoy a day of rest!
I have left many things undone. As I get older, more and more get left undone. And I can put them out of my mind and know that I prepared as much as was possible for me. On Sabbath morning, I prepare to go to church! I have my Bible and quarterly ready, even if they are digital ones. I have my special clothes that I want to wear to prepare to meet my King and Savior, the most important person I know!
When we get wonderful news that some of our kids are planning to come home, then I realize that I want to prepare for them by giving them a clean and uncluttered home to come to. It makes me sad that I can't prepare for their coming to the extent that I want. Part of my problem is the dreaded procrastination. Part of it is that I have become dependent on others for help and often the help for me is dependent on schedules that make it hard. I prepare ideas of where everyone will sleep. I prepare some ideas of activities and things to do. I prepare some ideas of what they might like to have for meals. I try to prepare by shopping for things that I know that they like to eat. For the little ones, I prepare to have some toys for them that they might enjoy.
We have been in a state of remodeling our bathroom. We have thank you's for several that have been involved with this remodeling! It has happened in bits and pieces over several months. This week has been time for preparing for another son and family to come. We wanted to have more of the remodeling done. And this part has been preparing for painting and moving furniture. To prepare for paint, the drywall had to be done. Anyone who has ever done drywall, knows that there are steps to be done, each one preparing for the next step and that prepares for the next step and next and next until finally you can sand and then put on a primer coat of paint, preparing for the final painting! You seem to always be preparing for what is next. Sometimes the preparing seems like it will never end.
We had a dry spring and now we are having a wet spring. We are never satisfied it seems. We were praying for rain, prayers were answered and now we almost think we should pray for the rain to stop! At any rate, rain or no rain, we and many are preparing for crop planting and garden planting. That is always dependent on what the weather is doing. It makes it hard to prepare a planting schedule. At present, we are still "preparing" to plant most of our garden. And now that we have had so much rain, the soil will have to be prepared again.
When you decide to cook and bake, there is preparation to do. You have to pick the asparagus, then prepare it for cooking. I sometimes prepare it by peeling it before cooking. To make cookies and cake, you probably want to prepare the pan with some cooking spray or parchment paper! To fry an egg, you probably would want to prepare the pan with some oil or butter! To make a salad, you should prepare by chopping up the lettuce or cabbage and other vegetables.
So much preparation--I prepare to shower by having my towel nearby and have removed my clothes. I prepare for bed with clean sheets, and with my "jamies" on and my day clothes taken off. I get ready to mow the lawn by checking the oil and gas, and sharp blade on the mower. I prepare for grocery shopping with shopping bags, a list, a debit card or cash and the list of items that are on sale. We like to camp. We prepare by checking our camping list to make sure we don't forget something; we prepare by having camping supplies ready to pack; we remember to prepare by greasing the bearings on the camper. We pack food, pans, hotdog sticks, and an axe!
Prepare, prepare, prepare, prepare! My life seems all about preparing. To brush my teeth, I prepare by putting toothpaste on my toothbrush! Prepare is not a word I can avoid.
I am preparing for Christ to come for the second time. I want to be ready with my preparations! I do not want to be surprised with some of my preparations left undone. I do not want to be like the 10 virgins of Bible times. They all were in preparation for the Bridegroom's coming. But some were fully prepared, and the other 5 were only partially prepared. And they were not ready when He came. They were locked out of the party house and sadly disappointed. They rapidly found out that only their own preparations would have helped them. They could not depend on others preparing for them. Each day gives me time to prepare. I probably should prepare a list of the preparations that I need to do yet. And I need to make some of those preparations each day. I should not think that I can wait till tomorrow to begin my preparations, for I will run out of time to get them done. I want to be ready when He comes. My preparation is full surrender to Him and filling my heart with love for Him. I want to surrender each day. Will you join me in that surrender? Let's prepare to be ready each day!
