how to be strong
Unfinished business. Too much to do.
friends in the fray
Tim Kreider wrote about modern-day busyness in a New York Times opinion column. His piece titled “The ‘Busy’ Trap” included a personal experience in which he contacted a friend about getting together. The friend replied that he was busy but might be persuaded to “ditch work for a few hours” if “something was going on.” Kreider didn’t press for a rendezvous. He described his friend’s busyness as “some vast, churning noise through which he was shouting.”
make the time
Are you busy? We can easily become overwhelmed with all the responsibilities that loom over us on any given day. We have calendar apps, appointment reminders, and handy lists to keep us organized. I enjoy finding new ways to use my time wisely and stay on task, but I have to be careful not to put my trust in my plans over the One who holds the plan. More importantly, I need to understand that while life often “just happens,” I must approach it with intentionality.
staying grounded
Best-selling author John Eldredge recently wrote a book about Jesus titled Beautiful Outlaw. One of the things that struck Eldredge as he researched and wrote his new work was noting how grounded Jesus was as a person.
Eldredge wrote that Jesus had the “ability to navigate praise, then hatred, false flattery, then adoring crowds, vicious slander, and then people who simply…
one thing
My friend Cha-Lisa threw away her to-do list— for good. During the weeks leading up to her decision, she and I had talked about feeling trapped by the never-ending inventory of tasks. Cha-Lisa said, “Get one thing done, and two more things pop up in its place.” I told her, “I feel guilty when I can’t finish everything.” We concurred…
human race
The alarm clock goes off way too early. At least, that’s how it feels. But a long day awaits you. First, you need to drop the kids off at school. Then there’s a breakfast meeting to attend, followed by a whole series of urgent matters to deal with.
That’s a typical day for a lot of people. As someone once…
October 31, 2011
Someone has said, “Busyness is not of the devil, it is the devil.” Do you agree with this quote? What are the pitfalls and blessings of busyness?
martha, martha, martha . . .
With all the people, events, and things pulling at you—vying for your attention, can you discern what’s important and what can be put on the backburner? More importantly, what is eternal and what is temporal?
Read Luke 10:38-42
Jesus was coming to Martha's house! The Messiah, the man who had been working miracles, was on His way to her house. Certainly,…
tough sledding
While we were on vacation in Alaska, our family visited the kennels that house Denali’s sled dogs. There we got to observe and learn about these amazing animals that help park rangers patrol the vast wilderness of Mount McKinley National Park during the long, harsh winter months.
One of the intriguing things we discovered about sled dogs is their incredible…
revealed
My list of projects to accomplish this weekend is somewhere near the level of insanity. As a teacher, I thrive on learning new things and finding innovative ways to communicate ideas to my students. So I have this nasty habit of creating projects for myself. Most times, I live somewhere on the continuum between order and chaos. Unfortunately, life doesn’t…
time well spent
Her name is Mary Jane. Having married a steelworker, she’s seen the boom and death of a Pennsylvania steel town where they happily raised their children. When the town no longer held any promise for them, they moved to Florida to enjoy their latter years. Today, though, she misses her husband even though he’s been gone a while (she’s uncertain…
never in a hurry
Though I am always in haste, I am never in a hurry.” I wish I could make these words of John Wesley my own. Most days for me are full, with numerous duties, deadlines, phone calls, e-mails, plans, and diary items to act on. Many times that peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7) is pushed aside by busy thoughts and…
His perfect timing
One hour and 36 minutes until deadline. Having returned to full-time teaching this year, I’m learning the complexities of balancing a job along with working with my husband in ministry and continuing my writing. All of which trail the two main roles in my life—wife and mom. Life is far from predictable. Some days—most days—it feels impossible. Tempted to live…
lonely places
A performer who spins plates on sticks never ceases to fascinate me. He takes a stick and spins a plate on the tip of it. He then adds a second and a third plate. By the time he gets several plates spinning, the crowd is clapping and shouting encouragement. The more plates he spins, the louder the applause. When he…
