Busy

Ask many people how things have been going for them, and lots will respond by saying, "Busy!" Schedules are full and strained for all kinds of folks. With people pulled in a dozen different directions, even some churches I know have adjusted their ministries around busy calendars. They scale back Bible experiences, small-groups, mission and service involvement or whatever, in an effort to accommodate a multi-tasking era.

The other evening my wife and I were talking about how busy all of us seem to be. (She's home and recovering from surgery, with a lot of time on her hands right now.) As she talked, I remembered something about her. Through the 1990's all of our children were going through their elementary school, middle school, and high school years. My wife was a "soccer mom" long before Sarah Palin even thought about being one. Elaine worked full time as a social worker in a nursing home, and still managed to taxi all three of our kids to games, musical practices and performances, church activities for students, and school organizations. In the midst of that hectic lifestyle, she maintained a strong, deep, and vibrant daily prayer and devotional life. She was constantly involved in group Bible studies, which meant daily scriptural reading in addition to her prayer time, as well as weekly group sessions. In addition, she found time to be involved in mission work and mission trips. Looking back, I asked her how she managed to do that. She says she has no idea; she just did it.

Maybe it's not just a matter of being too busy. Generally I find that we make time for the things that really matter to us, and we work everything else around those priorities. Perhaps it's more than crowded schedules. Perhaps it also involves priority and resolve.

Or maybe I'm all wet...What do you think? I'll see you around the next bend in the river.