MARGIN
OK, you may have yawned through the past 3 weeks, but MARGIN: Spending the Time of Your Life, has been one of the most personally challenging series I've ever been a part of. As usual, when I speak on parenting, my family goes crazy...when I speak on money, my finances get out of whack. Marriage...you can figure it out.
So, do a series on MARGIN and, surprise, guess what happens...you suddenly realize your calendar is crammed and your schedule is all out of whack. Life is running you, rather than vice-versa. You didn't do it all at once. In fact, you didn't even realize you were doing it at all. Six months ago you committed to that wedding, a month ago you scheduled the next elders meeting, those folks could only meet with you after hours, the banquet is for a ministry you support and love, Singles have a place in my heart. All good stuff. But, when they all fall into those boxes with numbers on them, and they fall into sequential boxes...BOOM! You're in trouble.
We have a tendency to say, "Oh yeah, I really need to make time for that". Sounds good. Totally impossible. Basically, what we're saying is, "I'm keeping everything in my schedule just the way it is, but somehow, I'm going to try to make some more time for what I'm convinced I need to be doing". It doesn't work that way. You can't make time. That's a God job. Way above your pay scale. What we have to say is, "I need to adjust my priorities. I need to make sure my priorities come first." That means when something off the list gets included, something else has to move down the list. In fact, in most cases, something has to be removed off the list entirely. That's the tough reality.
When we choose to say yes to the best, it often requires saying no to the rest. Painful reality. I never said this was easy.
So, do a series on MARGIN and, surprise, guess what happens...you suddenly realize your calendar is crammed and your schedule is all out of whack. Life is running you, rather than vice-versa. You didn't do it all at once. In fact, you didn't even realize you were doing it at all. Six months ago you committed to that wedding, a month ago you scheduled the next elders meeting, those folks could only meet with you after hours, the banquet is for a ministry you support and love, Singles have a place in my heart. All good stuff. But, when they all fall into those boxes with numbers on them, and they fall into sequential boxes...BOOM! You're in trouble.
We have a tendency to say, "Oh yeah, I really need to make time for that". Sounds good. Totally impossible. Basically, what we're saying is, "I'm keeping everything in my schedule just the way it is, but somehow, I'm going to try to make some more time for what I'm convinced I need to be doing". It doesn't work that way. You can't make time. That's a God job. Way above your pay scale. What we have to say is, "I need to adjust my priorities. I need to make sure my priorities come first." That means when something off the list gets included, something else has to move down the list. In fact, in most cases, something has to be removed off the list entirely. That's the tough reality.
When we choose to say yes to the best, it often requires saying no to the rest. Painful reality. I never said this was easy.
Thanks for keeping it real:=)
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