Recently my 6th grader brought home a paper from school that strikes fear in the hearts of parents everywhere. Science. Fair.
Seriously?! Again!? So, off we went to search out ideas and marry them to her passions and interests. One idea that we all found interesting and caught her attention was in regards to time. The premise was – does time seem to pass differently depending on your age?
She took a male & female of various ages (from 6-80) and put them in a bathroom for with no clock, cell phone, or watch. When they came out of the space they had to tell her how long they had been quarantined. While all were in the room for 4 minutes… the results were staggering. The older the person, the shorter the time appeared. Just like when we were little and Christmas seemed to take forever to arrive – and now it seems to come faster and faster… it really is true!
Anyway, it got me thinking… as adults sometimes we don’t think 10 minutes can give us much. We let them pass without thinking. We blink it away mindlessly watching TV, on social media, or not getting into a project for fear we can’t finish. But, there are some amazing things to do for your mind, body, and spirit in 10 minutes!
1) Read a few pages of a book! Whether it be about business, a romantic comedy, or The Word the information and time given to the pages could make a significant impact.
2) Savor something! Do you throw down a cup of a coffee in the morning? Mindlessly guzzle bottles of water? Really enjoy the depths of a small piece of dark chocolate? What if you allowed yourself to let your taste buds really have a work out?!
3) Pat yourself on the back! Take a minute to take a mental checklist of the days (or even morning’s) accomplishments!
4) Get where you are going early… or leave early and enjoy the ride! Seriously. When was the last time that happened?
5) Send 3 texts of encouragement to someone that may need it! You may not even know they do… but, good gravy, they will love to see that message when their phone dings! Or one quick phone call. Tell that person you have a 3 minute window and wanted them to know you were just calling to give them a loved-filled-shout-out!
6) Pray. Yep, just give Him a shout out or reach out, but let Him lear from you.
7) Do a QUICK chore. Think it will take 30 minutes to clean the bathroom? Well, just wipe down the counters or mirror. Take out the trash. Go to fridge and throw out 3 things.
8) Freshen up. Add a little lipstick, perfume, lotion, eye cream… Just something for you to make the rest of your day a little brighter!
9) Write a note. An index card for a family member when they have 10 minutes before bed.. would be glorious. A dose of blessing for both of you.
10) Laugh!! Jump on youtube and enjoy a funny video! Be careful and guard your heart (and eyes)… but, enjoy a bit of humor. A bit of Tim Hawkins, kids flipping off a trampoline (landing safely), and so forth can be just what the doctor ordered.
As adults we can feel like 10 minutes doesn’t amount to much. But, they can be a long investment in a child’s world. So go back to those days, every once in a while, and enjoy!!
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