In the spring, when it was time to start planting, my grandpa was one of the first to get his crops in. Why? Because unlike many other farmers in his area, he didn’t have to take time in the spring to chisel away the hardened clumps of dirt from last fall’s harvesting before he could plant the new round of seeds. Grandpa faithfully set aside time each fall to clean his farm implements, tools, and machinery both properly and thoroughly before putting them away for the winter.

Fast forward to today. After Joe and I finish a meal, one of us generally clears off the dirty dishes while the other one cleans and resets the table for the next meal that will take place there. Granted, we don’t have children at home who use the table for homework, games, building things, etc. But it’s a huge boost for me to have “one less thing to do” when it comes time to prepare the next meal. I love the feeling of accomplishment it provides!

I just finished reading a book in which the author gave these familiar practices a new, cool name, and encouraged his readers to “reset” their room or work area after each use so that it would be ready without having to stop, clean, and reorganize the supplies.

Actually, before these three illustrations were even a glint in the eye of possibility, King Solomon penned this lesson that was recorded in the Bible:

“Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest” (Proverbs 6:6-8, ESV).

Though I usually use this time to share Friday Favorites, I’d like to share some practical ways that this simple lesson on the benefits of preparation can take root in your everyday Christian life:

In your home:

• Plan your meals ahead of time
• Prepare your meals ahead of time
• Set your table ahead of time
• Schedule five minutes today to plan for tomorrow
• Select tomorrow’s wardrobe tonight (does it need to be washed? ironed?)
• Keep an online, paper, and/or wall calendar in a visible, easy-to-access location — use it!
• Drop some other suggestions for this category in the comments below (comments must be approved, so don’t think it just “vanished!”)

Physically:

• Set an alarm; set multiple alarms as reminders for tasks that must be accomplished that day
• Schedule your walk, exercise class, gym visit, etc. on your calendar
• Put your tennis shoes on instead of donning your slippers first thing in the morning
• Purchase healthy foods—you’ll eat what’s there (and by you, I mean I, as I eat some Good and Plenty candies while typing this)
• Drop some other suggestions for this category in the comments below

Spiritually:

• Set your Bible in an easily accessible location near where you spend your “God-and-I-Time” — include a pen and notebook/journal if that’s your thing
• Download the BibleGateway app so that you may read anywhere, anytime, including your planned God-and-I-Time
• Head to bed at a decent time on Saturday night so that you can be alert and ready to worship either in-person or online with your local church
• Drop some other suggestions for this category in the comments below

Financially:

• Know what bills are coming down the road—set money aside from each paycheck to pay for those when they’re due
• Your priorities and your purchases go hand-in-hand—determine the first to control the second
• This quotation from my sweet mama has guided me through many a preparatory step in deciding whether or not to spend on things outside of the non-negotiables: “If you feel richer on payday than you did the day before, you are probably not spending your money wisely”
• What you take out of savings, plan to put back into savings
• Know how much you’re actually spending. Credit card interest often negates the discounts you worked hard to apply to the purchase in the first place. This takes planning, forethought, and pre-determined choices on how and what you will buy
• Drop some other suggestions for this category in the comments below

Sweet friend, the point is this: Tomorrow is not promised; neither is it a surprise. Prepare. Be ready. Rest well, knowing that God is already there.