Just a thought for getting the job done daily – I call it ROPEF. In Ezra 3:4 They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required. Notice this ending phrase, as the duty of every day required. It made me think about the fact that every day God has given us is a day to be profitable for the cause of Christ.
Oh, we may spend a day in rest because we need the rest. We may spend a day in fun because we need the time with friends and family but no day should be wasted. Every day has a duty that is essential to be accomplished. To accomplish the duty of every day I use ROPEF to help me. My wife was the first I saw personally to use the system but I am sure in those early days of marriage she did not call it ROPEF.
Now that I hopefully have you at least mildly curious, I will explain.
R is realize. Realize what you need to accomplish today. As I said my wife has always had a schedule for her week. Each day had its “duty for the day”. Monday might have been her day for what she called deep cleaning of the house. She first realized the task before her. She understood clearly the objective for the day.
Secondly, she would O organize. She would take a 4×6 card or half sheet of paper and list 10, 12, or even 15 things that she wanted to accomplish that day that fit inside of her objective. Her objective was to deep clean the house but sweeping and mopping the floors would be an item on the list. Washing dishes and cleaning the refrigerator might be on the list. Washing and ironing clothes might be on the list but the list would help her organize her day.
Next, she would P prioritize the list. She would go through her list and begin to number the most important things she wanted to accomplish so if she did not finish all she would finish the most important and vital items. She never knew but that I might call and need her or one of the girls might get sick and need her so she needed to make sure she got the most important things accomplished first.
Then she would E energize. You see all the organization, and lists would not get the job done, she now had to put energy to it. Jobeth was and is competitive. She grew up in public schools playing basketball, softball, and track. She had a very competitive and determined spirit. She took this and used it in her home as she would challenge herself to beat the clock so to speak. She would race against the clock to complete tasks as fast as she could. She would fly around the house and accomplish more than a crew of house cleaners. She brought intensity and energy to the task that she had decided to do.
Finally, She F finalized. As she raced from job to job she would not stop until the previous job was totally complete. Upon completion, she would run to her list and check off the job she just completed. This completion brought inspiration and strength to go to the next item and attack it.
Remember ROPEF and you will get the duty of every day accomplished for good and for God.
by Dr. Bob Hooker
This has been so helpful to me. I have been in a rut/ pit for awhile. Thanks for the short stories. It has reminded me how up lifting read can be.