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 Busy@what?

 It has been worn as a badge of honour.

 Being busy, keeping busy, and telling people you are really   busy are all indications of a well-spent life. Or are they?

 We are all aware of the phrase “idle hands are the Devil’s       workshop”, but does that mean we need to be panting and     running around doing life? Now, to all this, add children. I   can   sense some grins and smirks from those parents who   take   their children to a plethora of activities and events, including   every birthday party for every child that has been in their   classes at school. Now that’s busy. But is it healthy? Is it the   right thing to be doing? How can we be busy, but not be extended beyond reason? Without a plan to not be busy, we will fail.

For most of us, we usually have every minute of our 8 to 4 or 9 to 5 workday planned or designated to our schedule. For some, that may include a 12-hour shift, or just work as long as possible to get the job done.  Once that clock strikes “finish time”, we drift into a realm of unplanned, unstructured, plop in front of the TV, time. Leave me alone. I’m done for the day. If you have a spouse and family, this really isn’t working for you.

My suggestion is a planning session every Sunday - God’s day to plan God’s way for the following week. Extend the day planner through the supper hour to bed time.  Plan the quiet time for all, plan the family time, plan the personal time, plan the time with God. The following Sunday allows you, as a family, to reflect on how the last week went and how this new week should look. This is an amazing time to speak into your children about what is important in life.

It’s the best “homework” your child can do - planning their day so it’s balanced between work, relaxation and entertainment. The purpose of homework is to figure out how to set aside additional time after school that will occupy their life in transferable skills throughout their life. Planning does this. Time to read. Time to research an interest. Time to memorize. Time to play, not just alone but with the family. A time to share passions. A time to spend with God.

A planned life is a productive life. The Bible speaks to our nature when it says that we wander (Psa. 119:10), we drift (Heb. 2:1), and we go astray (Isa. 53:6). In our pursuit of living a life with eternal value, we must plan.

Have I used the word enough times to get my point across?

Why not use this summer to begin a family routine that will instill life values and redeem the short time we have on earth.