Put Off Procrastination

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‘Tis the Season to Drop Perfectionism – Lay Aside Every Weight

Holidays· Hospitality

31 Oct

‘Tis the season, former procrastinators – the perfect time of year to lay aside weights that pull us down.  Then we can be free to enjoy the gratitude and celebration of both Thanksgiving and Christmas.  We’ll also be free to bless others.

A young mother of toddlers blessed me decades ago.  As newlyweds, we went to a couple’s home for dinner.  While the wife and I finished preparations, she said to me, “People talk about entertaining.  We don’t seek to entertain anybody.  We want to nourish the people who come into our home.  We want to nourish their bodies and  their souls.”

Isn’t that wonderful?  The warm welcome folks feel, genuine interest in them, encouraging conversation that honors the Lord – these count most.  Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches might be the most enjoyable meal your guests have had in weeks.  When they leave, their spirits are lifted, their souls nourished from time with you in your home.

To be able to offer such time together, we need to drop the weight of perfectionism.  Drop the idea that the house must be decorated to look like a magazine, that the cookies must be homemade and precisely frosted. 

Do you enjoy those things?  Then choose to do the things you like and let others go.  A friend told me at their house, they like pie making so they major on that and buy other dishes ready-made.  Do what you can to make it easy on yourself. 

You’ll be a much nicer person to be around.  You’ll be free to see the hearts of others. Perfectionism is a stress we impose upon ourselves and inflict on family. When we feel pressured, we pass that on to those around us, and we miss the important.  Perfectionism is not what it’s cracked up to be.  (It may crack you up – in the not funny way).

Imagine if that young couple hosting us decades ago had entertained us perfectly, and we had gone home with warped ideas of what’s important.  I’m so grateful they shared a simple casserole and words of wisdom!

What can you not do this season to create less burden on yourself and more focus on nourishing souls?

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BETH STERNE
Welcome! It's great to have you here. I'm a follower of Christ and a learner of new ways. By His grace, I am gaining victory over procrastination. This is where I share struggles I face and lessons I'm learning. Join me and other sisters as we put off procrastination and put on peace.

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2018-08-16T14:41:28-04:00

Cindy C.

"Biblical truth ... with a lot of fun and laughter."
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“I never saw myself as a procrastinator until her talk – I just thought of myself as productively busy! She helped me to gain new focus on what my priorities really are.”

Christine B.

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2018-08-16T14:41:59-04:00

Christine B.

“I never saw myself as a procrastinator until her talk – I just thought of myself as productively busy! She helped me to gain new focus on what my priorities really are.”
https://putoffprocrastination.com/testimonials/christine-b/
"Beth’s procrastination talk led me to understand procrastination as a heart issue in need of God’s restoration not just a change of my ways. Beth’s personal experiences helped me discover practical ways to attack my own procrastination. As a result I have become a more loving wife, mother and friend who is able to use the gifts God has given me more fully. I highly endorse this talk and would love to hear it again and again."

Julia F.

Beth Sterne - Put Off Procrastination
2018-08-16T14:42:31-04:00

Julia F.

"Beth’s procrastination talk led me to understand procrastination as a heart issue in need of God’s restoration not just a change of my ways. Beth’s personal experiences helped me discover practical ways to attack my own procrastination. As a result I have become a more loving wife, mother and friend who is able to use the gifts God has given me more fully. I highly endorse this talk and would love to hear it again and again."
https://putoffprocrastination.com/testimonials/julia-f/
“Beth’s presentation on procrastination was truly eye-opening. I knew I had a problem with procrastination, but never thought twice about how it impacted my relationships and showed God that I wasn’t onboard with His plan. I began to see each instance took away from being fruitful; I was living for myself! After this revelation, I have been working on procrastinating less. I can see places opening up in my life for more peaceful moments, more time with and for friends and family, and more time for God’s plan to unfold. It’s amazing to know there’s more to life for me than a life full of “should haves” as a result of procrastination.”

Carole S.

Beth Sterne - Put Off Procrastination
2018-08-16T14:42:59-04:00

Carole S.

“Beth’s presentation on procrastination was truly eye-opening. I knew I had a problem with procrastination, but never thought twice about how it impacted my relationships and showed God that I wasn’t onboard with His plan. I began to see each instance took away from being fruitful; I was living for myself! After this revelation, I have been working on procrastinating less. I can see places opening up in my life for more peaceful moments, more time with and for friends and family, and more time for God’s plan to unfold. It’s amazing to know there’s more to life for me than a life full of “should haves” as a result of procrastination.”
https://putoffprocrastination.com/testimonials/carole-s/
“After Beth came and shared about procrastination, many realized that it is possible through the Lord's power to stop putting off what God has called us to do. One mother finally started a blog and another posted a ladies; tea for her church months in advance so that ...she would not put off having it. Although I thought I was not someone who procrastinates, I realized I had some relationships that I needed to work on. Procrastination, I learned, is not just about getting things turned in on time, it's about listening to God and doing what He says to do when He tells you to and obeying God's Word.”

Rebecca F.

Beth Sterne - Put Off Procrastination
2018-08-16T14:43:28-04:00

Rebecca F.

“After Beth came and shared about procrastination, many realized that it is possible through the Lord's power to stop putting off what God has called us to do. One mother finally started a blog and another posted a ladies; tea for her church months in advance so that ...she would not put off having it. Although I thought I was not someone who procrastinates, I realized I had some relationships that I needed to work on. Procrastination, I learned, is not just about getting things turned in on time, it's about listening to God and doing what He says to do when He tells you to and obeying God's Word.”
https://putoffprocrastination.com/testimonials/rebecca-f/
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Beth Sterne - Put Off Procrastination
Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise! It has
no commander, no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.
Proverbs 6:6-8
... you have put off the old man with
his deeds, and have put on the new
man who is renewed in knowledge
according to the image of Him who
created him.
Colossians 3:9-10

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