“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” ~ Matthew 25:13 ESV

In the Bible passage above, Jesus was talking in a parable, telling his followers to keep watch and always be ready because they do not know when He will return. I prefer to keep watch and be ready for anything that might happen.

I know many people, especially when they have a day off, like to lollygag around in bed — Piddlefarting about before they get up and around. I am the opposite. I like to get up regardless of whether I have to work or not. Obviously, if I have to work, I’m up at 0430, if not I don’t get up quite that early but I’m up before 0600. If I’m still in bed later than that, I’m either sick or dead (and I hate it when I wake up dead.)

Flylady hits the nail on the head when she tells her followers to get up, shower, and get dressed down to your sneakers. No matter what happens from that point on, you will be ready to face the day.

Kids forgot something they needed for school – you’re dressed and ready to go, you don’t look like a sleep disheveled bum in your jammies bringing little Johnny’s lunch

Surprise Zoom meeting for work – you’re already showered, dressed and ready to face the day.

The dog ate a tube of super glue and needs an emergency trip to the vet – you’re already showered, dressed, and ready to jump in the car and go

You’re putting dinner in the crockpot and realize you’re missing a key ingredient – huh! Wow! You don’t have to wait to shower and dress because you’ve already done it, no need to slink into the store hoping you don’t run into anyone you know. No starring role in “People of Walmart” for you!

I’m not saying that it isn’t okay to relax, but can’t you relax just as easily when you’ve gotten dressed as you do when you haven’t?

The impetus for this post was a conversation with my son. I asked everyone last night if there was anything they wanted on the menu or from the store as I was going to go grocery shopping today. Clue #1 – I’m going grocery shopping. Today, while he was standing in the kitchen, his sister and I were making the grocery list. Clue #2 – a grocery list leads to grocery shopping. I had been busy doing other things and didn’t head for the grocery store until 4 p.m. Clue #3 – if I said I’m going grocery shopping and it’s getting on into the day, the chances of me leaving is getting closer than not. Imagine his surprise when I said I was leaving and he wanted me to wait until he could shower and change so he could go and I said, “No.” It’s a weekend day. There’s no school. He wasn’t working. He’d had ALL day to shower and get dressed, so expecting me to wait when I’m ready to leave is not going to work for me. He was upset that I didn’t specifically say WHEN I was leaving. I very logically explained that I wasn’t required to give an itinerary, he should be ready the day of planned grocery shopping to leave any time after 8 am when the grocery store opens. Because life often gets in the way, I cannot always give a precise time for household chores, therefore he should keep watch for he knows not the hour (he obviously knew the day).

I suppose if one has no motivation to meet life head-on, there is no need to be ready to do anything. The egocentric person will just expect life to wait for them to get ready. My son had to learn that lesson today.