The Time Continuum

OK ... so maybe not that science fiction ... but I do think there is something to an old adage that I heard many years ago. The adage goes like this:

"The amount of time it takes you to do something is directly related to the amount of time that you have to complete it."

I have found this to be amazingly accurate - especially when it comes to my children. This adage can best be proven when they are told to clean their bedrooms. If I lay down the gauntlet and tell them that they have 10 minutes to get the room cleaned, or they will lose their phone/DS/PSP (depending on which child) ... they can have the room cleaned in 10 minutes. On the other hand - if I tell them at 3:00 pm that the room needs to be cleaned before their mother gets home ... it will take them the whole 5+ hours to do it.

This adage can also be proven when getting ready in the morning. If I wake up on time - it usually takes me 25-30 minutes to get up and get ready to leave. However, if I oversleep, I can be up, dressed and out the door in 3 minutes!

Well ... in thinking about this, I think we have to be extremely careful about proving this adage out in our ministries. Those of us in ministry (and to some extent, especially those of us that have been in the ministry for many years) have to be careful about our time management ... and not only giving ourselves minimal amounts of time to complete the things in our ministry areas.

There have been a few times when I have put off and put off getting things ready for worship on Sunday morning ... and then, at the last minute, have thrown together a worship set of music. Sure, it flows well, and is pretty to listen to - but it wasn't a Spirit-Led arrangement ... and I could feel the tension in trying to lead it. Others may not have noticed anything - and I may have gotten away with it ... but that isn't how it's supposed to be done.

As I challenge myself, I want to challenge you, as well ... Let's take the time to do what we need to do, and do everything the way it's supposed to be done - not in a hurried or repetitious manner. We need to do everything as unto the Lord, Himself ... remember another old adage:

"If we keep Christ in the Center of our lives ... then the Circumfrence will take care of itself."

Anyway ... those are my thoughts for today. Please feel free to comment (or not!).