If I’m to come out even at the end of life, as I have always hoped I would, I guess I’d better start exercising both my body and my brain.

While body and brain are vying for time in my busy schedule, I’d rather be doing something I enjoy. My daughter, the musician, tells me that the reason my piano playing doesn’t get any better is because I never practice. I really do plan to practice as soon as I get caught up on a few other things. However, the experts at the writer’s conference I attended say that writing for an hour a day is absolutely necessary to increase skill and creativity. And I would like to learn a new song to sing before the next Fifth Sunday Singing at church, but I just can’t find the time.

But wait! Shouldn’t my priority be improving the way I look? I did read some essential beauty tips in a magazine once. Maybe I should spend more time curling my hair, polishing my nails, and plucking my eyebrows. I could even schedule more time for pressing my clothes and shining my shoes.

I wonder though, what self-improvement project God would place at the top of my list? The Scripture says, For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (I Samuel 16:7bNKJ)

Self-improvement? Maybe I should start by finding time to hide God’s Word in my heart.