October 20, 2009 at 5:37 pm (Life Observations, Philosophy & Religion)
Tags: busy, busyness, overcommitment, schedule, scheduling, time management
I was recently talking to a friend who felt like she was being pulled in several different directions, all of them away from her life priorities. For example, she strongly hoped to start a personal project that was close to her heart, but she was entangled in other commitments. It wasn’t merely that she was busy; it was as if all unassigned free time were being usurped by everything else that demanded it — of course leaving little or nothing for what was most important to her.
Her situation reminded me that time is a precious resource that must be carefully guarded. Where are we investing our time? Are we using it to fulfill our own life mission, or squandering it on someone else’s? Do we impose on others in a way that carelessly tramples their time?
One of my favorite books is Gordon MacDonald’s Ordering Your Private World
. In it he emphasizes the seriousness of budgeting one’s time for the sake of effective living. The following are four “laws” which he applies to all “unseized” time, that which has not been thoughtfully budgeted.
MacDonald’s Laws of Unseized Time
LAW #1: Unseized Time Flows Toward My Weaknesses
Because I had not adequately defined a sense of mission in the early days of my work, and because I had not been ruthless enough with my weaknesses, I found that I normally invested inordinately large amounts of time doing things I was not good at, while the tasks I should have been able to do with excellence and effectiveness were preempted.
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LAW #2: Unseized Time Comes Under the Influence of Dominant People in My World
A famous “spiritual law” states that “God loves you and has a plan for your life.” Men and women who do not have control of their time discover that the same can be said about dominating people.
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LAW #3: Unseized Time Surrenders to the Demands of All Emergencies
Charles Hummel in a small and classic booklet says it best we are governed by the tyranny of the urgent. Those of use with any sort of responsibility for leadership in vocation, in the home, or in our faith will find ourselves continually surrounded by events that cry out for immediate attention.
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LAW #4: Unseized Time Gets Invested in Things that Gain Public Acclamation
In other words, we are more likely to give our unbudgeted time to events that will bring the most immediate and greatest praise.
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Learn more about Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald
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August 19, 2009 at 10:10 am (Life Observations, Philosophy & Religion, Sayings & Quotables)
Tags: brains, genius, intellectualism, smarts, wisdom
Who is the wiser person: the simple-minded individual who surrounds himself with smart people, or the gifted intellectual who relies only upon himself?
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August 14, 2009 at 9:10 am (Life Observations, Philosophy & Religion, Politics, Sayings & Quotables)
Tags: authoritarianism, democracy, dictatorship, government, self-discipline, self-government
As people lose the ability to govern themselves internally, their desire increases to be governed externally.
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August 11, 2009 at 7:01 pm (Philosophy & Religion)
Tags: abortion, creation, eugenics, euthanasia, human beings, humanity, life, sanctity of life
At no point must human beings attempt to assign a discrete value — in terms of money, quality of life, or otherwise — to other human beings.
Many a husband throughout history has been infuriated by a wife who discarded something she thought was garbage but which he treasured. By extension, how much more might we invoke the wrath of a supreme being by devaluing human lives that we did not invent and who may have worth far beyond what we can imagine?
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June 30, 2009 at 9:48 am (Philosophy & Religion)
Tags: morality, perfection, preaching, religion, scandal, sin
There are two men: One touts high moral standards and attempts to live by them in all aspects of his life. The other knows what is right but does it only when it is to his benefit. If they both commit the same scandalous act, who is more guilty?
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April 30, 2009 at 2:35 pm (Philosophy & Religion, Politics)
Tags: civil unions, cohabitating, cohabitation, family, gay marriage, heterosexuality, homosexuality, marriage, relationships, traditional marriage
I recently read a report analyzing the statistical differences between heterosexual and homosexual couples in several aspects. Among the report’s findings were the following:
- Most gay people don’t enter long-term partnerships, and those partnerships that do exist don’t last as long as heterosexual marriages, on average
- In places where gay “marriage” is officially sanctioned, very few gay couples take advantage of it compared to the percentage of heterosexuals who get married
- For many gay men, the definition of marriage does not include exclusivity or fidelity
If these things are true, then I’m confused: Why is the pro-gay political lobby in the U.S. fighting for the same marriage rights as heterosexuals, when the data would indicate that their community at large isn’t that interested?
Read the analysis here
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January 5, 2009 at 1:21 pm (Philosophy & Religion)
Tags: children, civil unions, cohabitating, cohabitation, commitment, divorce, family, gay marriage, love, marriage, society, traditional marriage
I’ve been giving more thoughts to what marriage is all about. (See my last post on the topic.) It has occurred to me that there is one critical issue that people fail to understand about the matter.
Marriage is not about “love.”
That is, marriage is not about love as most people define it: romantic sentiment, high emotion, and (let’s be honest) sex. True, these things are important, even vital, motivators toward marriage. But the emotional tides ebb. No marriage escapes the latter part of “better or worse”: the sick kids, the late payments, the lost jobs, the in-laws, the big move, the disability, the empty nest, the schools, the funerals, etc. Too many couples are divorcing simply because they don’t understand what they really signed up for.
Isn’t marriage the cornerstone of society? Practically speaking, it’s how we get more people. And a man and woman who are emotionally healthy and committed to each other will raise children who will be well prepared to raise their own kids someday and continue the cycle. Jeopardized marriages jeopardize the entire cycle.
Marriage isn’t just about two people, it’s about everyone. It’s not just about romance, but about exemplifying true love — unconditional commitment to another’s well-being — to the community.
Where marriage as an institution is failing, we need to reinforce its pillars, not tear them down, because supporting marriage supports us all.
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December 10, 2008 at 6:21 pm (Life Observations, Philosophy & Religion, Sayings & Quotables)
Tags: cameraderie, companionship, empathy, friendship, happiness, joy, pain, privilege
It is not so great a privilege to share someone’s joy as it is to share their pain.
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December 9, 2008 at 10:00 pm (Philosophy & Religion, Sayings & Quotables)
Tags: emotions, expression, feelings, reserve, silence, speech, talking, words
A foolish person verbalizes all his feelings; a wise person carefully restricts expression.
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December 3, 2008 at 5:48 pm (Life Observations, Philosophy & Religion)
Tags: busyness, margin, organization, simplicity, time, time management, type A personality
“No” has such unhappy associations. It’s the essence of any toddler’s rebellion. It’s the basis of any personal rejection. But there is so much good to be found it.
I’ve been hearing a lot lately on the subject of simplifying one’s life. Even though I wouldn’t consider my life to be very complicated at all, occasionally I need to be reminded to invoke the power of “no.” Possibly my favorite book (I must have read it through five times) is Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald. It talks about establishing “order” in the soul by overcoming excessive drivenness and creating margin in your life. And sometimes my soul gets out of order. I need to say “no” sometimes not only for the sake of my time, but for the sake of my integrity.
Jesus told a parable about a father who gave a command to his two sons. The one said “yes” but did not do what was asked. The other at first said “no” but later decided to comply. In the end, it was the second son that Jesus credited with being truly obedient. When we don’t know how to say “no,” our “yes” becomes worthless when we fail to follow through because we should have said “no” to start.
How can you embrace the power of “no” for a more simple and peaceful life? Here are some suggestions of things that (depending who you are) you might begin saying “no” to today.
- business opportunities
- nominations
- party invitations
- sponsorships
- advice
- stagnant or dysfunctional relationships
- undesired friendships
- store sales
- social networking requests
- other people’s problems
- public appearances and speaking engagements
- volunteer opportunities
- TV shows and other entertainment
- news and information
- family invitations
- gift obligations
- phone calls
- e-mails
- instant/text messages
- club meetings and invitations
- kids’ activities
- people’s expectations
- job offers
- food
- other people’s ideas
- procrastination
- requests for favors
- reading articles
- podcasts
- purchases
- business solicitations
Start saying “no” and make room for the things that should be a “yes” in your life!
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