{2025 Week 50} Productive vs. Fruitful

I have been thinking about productivity vs. fruitfulness. I think as a Christian, as much as possible, I should use Christian words when thinking about life. The word “Productivity” is not in the Bible, but there are verses that talk about the idea of having fruit, faith, and being diligent. I’m meditating on that and trying to remember that when I don’t get my to-do list done and feel unproductive. Was any of that because I was wasting time? or was it because I was being fruitful? Which sometimes means taking time out of my daily plans to have a conversation with someone, or help somebody, or serve, or rest. (Rest as in true rest: NOT being online or on a screen. I think true rest can only be done unplugged.) This week I want to continue praying and thinking about fruitfulness, faithfulness, and diligence in my day to day life.

Week Review

• Project last week: Make Marionberry jam. DONE! This freed up so much space in my freezer and I got 22 half pint jelly jars! These will be to sell at the Farmstand when we reopen in the Spring, give as gifts, and enjoy a couple ourselves.
• I also made a batch of this amazing Christmas Jam to enjoy and give as gifts. Highly recommend making this while cranberries are in season at the grocery store!

Reading

• We Live in Alaska–Nightstand book
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe–The book I must read every Christmas, so the books below were put on hold last week to enjoy this one. It is the right book at the right time. 🙂
  
• The End of Absence— DEAR book: on chapter 8 of 9
• Cranford–Set aside until I finish one of the above books
• Storyworthy by Matthew Dicks–Finished this book. Lots of good stuff if you want to be a good story teller, but again, it is not a Christian book. There are some topics that kept coming up that aren’t detailed, but still. And a few cuss words. I hope to continue “Homework for Life” through 2026 and see what happens. Since I finished it, I want to review my underlines and add some notes to my reading notebook and commonplace book.
  GOAL: Continue D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything and Read) at 3pm

Self-Education

(My friend and I are taking Introduction to the Constitution, from Hillsdale College)
LAST WEEK’S GOAL: Finish lesson 5.
I worked on Lesson 5, but didn’t make much progress. The lesson video discussed our government system of representation vs. a true democracy and how that system needs a guiding rule (the Constitution) to be able to continue to work.
GOAL: Continue to make progress on Lesson 5

Scripture Memory

Currently working on 1 Thess 5:14-18
Goal: 5x a week.
Result: 3/5 -The previous verse is in my scripture memory system to keep it fresh.

Exercise

Goal: strength 3x a week, & cardio at least 2x
Result: Strength: 1/3 Cardio: 3/2

• Mon-Walked outside
• Tues-Did this strength video.
• Wed-
• Thurs- walk mixed with intervals of Japanese slow jogging
• Fri-
• Sat-Walked outside in GORGEOUS weather

Routines

• Evening routine: (Goal: 7 times/7 days a week):
  Result: 0/7
  I’m going to change the time for this, currently my reminder goes off while I’m in the middle of making dinner. Obviously that’s not working.
  
• Zone cleaning: Last week was the kitchen zone. Didn’t do amazing here:
  Result: 2/5
  • Microwave
  • stovetop and vent hood

Projects & tasks for the week ahead:

Project: Finalize and wrap gifts!
Also, make a menu plan for Christmas week
And seriously start planning goals and planner things for 2026!!