A semi-short review of Crazy Busy.

 
Book reviews can be long and arduous sometimes.
And when you're "Crazy Busy," who has time for that?

So here are a few quick thoughts and take-a-ways on my reading of Kevin DeYoung's book, Crazy Busy.

- It's a little, "mercifully short" book, yet for me, it took awhile to digest. Anticipate taking time to allow DeYoung's thoughts to marinade in your mind for a bit.

- As I think about my time in full-time ministry, and how "busy" I said or thought I was, so much of it came down to the pride swelling in my heart that eventually became overwhelming. So when DeYoung writes, "So much of our busyness comes down to people's expectations" and then goes on to say later that either we are busy with the wrong things (things that won't matter at the end of time) or we are busy with the right things and the wrong motives, I can relate. It boils down to this: busyness can be - and often is - a pride issue, believing no one else can do things as well as we can. Oh how that belittles God.

- Many things he mentions are not new. Or even new ways of saying old things. Yet, DeYoung's way with words is impeccable. We all know setting priorities is a thing. And this was a good reminder: "Stewarding my time is not selfishly pursuing only the things I like to do. It's about effectively serving others in the ways I'm best able to serve and in the ways I am most uniquely called to serve." He goes on to say, which I am grateful he recognized, "caring for people is wildly inefficient."

- Though I'm not a parent, I hope I will go back and re-read this portion when the time comes. He remarks that people are so busy with their kids - essentially making them idols. Harried with feeding them organic foods and getting them to soccer practice - that they forget the Bible's call in Deuteronomy 6 to be sharing God's truth all the time. Be busy with the right things, essentially, is what he says.

- The last two chapters are the best two chapters. Too many good quotes to count. DeYoung writes:

• "If you have creativity, ambition, and love, you will be busy."
• "The busyness that's bad is not the busyness of work, but the busyness that works hard at the wrong things."
• "You will suffer if you are committed to people."
• "If we love others, how will we not be busy and burdened at least some of the time?"
• "We have to believe that the most significant opportunity every day is the opportunity to sit at the feet of Jesus. We won't rearrange out priorities unless we really believe this is the best one."
• "Making consistent time for the Word of God and prayer is the place to start because being with Jesus is the only thing strong enough to pull us away from the busyness."

May I never be working so hard at the wrong things that it overshadows sitting at the feet of Jesus everyday. 

Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Book about a (Really) Big Problem is for sale on Amazon.

TIME: I is for Inventory-ize (Part 2)

Now that you've looked at your plate, probably one that looks strikingly similar to this:

There are two questions:

1. What are God's priorities for me?

• Alone time with Him (Mark 1:35)
• Sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
• Making disciples (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8)
• Doing the "work" God has for us (Genesis 2:15)
• Resting or Sabbath (Mark 2:27) 

AND

2. What do I waste my time on?

• Facebook
• Movies/TV
• Video Games
• Pinterest 
• Texting
• Unhealthy or unprofitable (for either party) relationships 

Thanks again for sticking with me through the intro, searching for truth regarding time management, and part one of inventory-izing! 

TIME: I is for Inventory-ize (Part 1)

A word we throw around at the office is "inventory-ize."
It simply means to take an account of what's been used over the summer and what might need to be repaired, purchased, ect. over the "off season."

So, when it comes to time management, it's a good (and humbling) exercise for me to honestly look at my life and see where I'm spending my time.

Mark Driscoll calls it your plate.* Some people have dinner roll plates, some people have serving platers.

...mine's more like a lunch plate.

Last winter, this was my plate. I still think I lied to myself in some areas. I don't really get 7.5 hours of sleep a night. I should, but I don't.

You can try it out for yourself here:

This experiment was eye-opening for me. In fact, it's something that I need to go back to now that life looks a little different for me.

What does your current pie plate look like?


* Love Mark Driscoll's sermon on planning in Proverbs. It's one of those good re-listens at least once a year.

TIME: T is for Truth

Last Tuesday, I wrote an introduction to a four week series that I would be doing on time management. And this is the first installment!

T is for Truth (the Word of God).

Too often we (I) go to people (mom, friends, ect.) first for advice.
But the Bible says in 2 Peter 1:3, "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness."

He (God) has given us the written Word. It contains all that we need.
Even advice on how to manage what little time we have on this earth effectively.
He has given us the Holy Spirit who convicts and corrects.
(Not that wise counsel isn't important, as you'll find out later - just not preeminent.)

So, when  setting out to find how to be "a good time manager," searching the Scriptures should come first.

Regarding how we should spend our time:

• Psalm 90:12
• Ephesians 5:15-17
• Colossians 3:17
• 1 Corinthians 15:58

Regarding laziness and the problems it promotes:

• Proverbs 10:4
• Proverbs 12:24
• Proverbs 13:4
• Proverbs 19:15
• Proverbs 20:4
• Ecclesiastes 10:18

Regarding working hard:

• Proverbs 31:27
• Ecclesiastes 3:13
• Ecclesiastes 9:10
• Galatians 6:9
• Colossians 3:17
• 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12

Regarding planning:

• Proverbs 15:22
• Proverbs 16:3, 9
• Proverbs 24:27
• Luke 14:28-29

I hope (and pray!) that you look these verses up for yourself. And maybe you know of other verses that would apply that I didn't list.


How have these verses convicted or challenged you?
I would love to hear about it!

TIME: The Introduction

I am a horrible time manager. Horrible.
But it's been in the last three-ish or so year that God has been working on my heart in this area of my life.

I distinctly remember sitting in a Sunday School class when Ephesians 5:15-16 was explained. It was the first memorable time that I recognized that I would be accountable to God for how I use my days, my hours.

And by no means do I have things figured out.
In fact, I fail miserably 20,000 times a day at this.

But for some reason, I was chosen to give a time-management workshop at Camp training for the seasoned, veteran counselors.

So, I put together a little presentation that was an acronym that spelled the word T.I.M.E. Dorky, I know. (Actually, it took a little bit of time to put together. Do you know how long it took me to come up with that?)

It's nothing new. Just stuff I've learned.
I can't take the credit.

But I need to review it, so I'm going to review it by posting its contents for the next four Tuesdays.

I hope you enjoy. (Or at least, get a small something out of it.)