Time

Time

We know we all have the same number of minutes in an hour - and hours in a day - and days in a week - and weeks in a month - and months in a year to manage. In this window no matter how big or how small, we are alike in this regard. How we use the time provided to us is our individual, family or group choice.

The 4th Earl of Chesterfield (1694-1773) was a selfish, calculating and contemptuous man, who was not naturally generous, and practiced dissimulation ’til it became part of his nature; despite brilliant talents and admirable training, the life of Chesterfield cannot be pronounced a success. 

Yet for years I admired what he said about time; “Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination: never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.”

Actually we hear this often perhaps being thought of a sluggard if we put things off for another day. In a way it was my mantra in the years of having a young family, building a business and remaining active in church and community activities. And as I assailed the seasons of life planning became more important in the managing of my time. I found that without proper planning it is not possible to finish things on time or within budgets.

Lewis Carroll (1832-1898) said, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” I have quoted this many times when teaching project planning, budgeting, and time management.

Historically much has been said about time. Even Mother Teresa checked in with a comment, “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”

In the Bible, the book of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 Solomon, the wisest man in the world said, There is a time . . . for every activity under heaven. Walvoord and Zuk in The Bible Knowledge Commentary state by the word “activity” Solomon meant people’s deliberate, willful acts. “The Hebrew word for ‘activity,’ always used of people, literally means “desire,” and then by metonymy “what one desires”.

We have returned from a wonderful ‘vacation’. Perhaps the most fun in more than 25 years or so. We have not been very focused on vacations over these ministry years even though the miles traveling globally have added up considerably.

No meetings on this two week vacation. Whew!

GEOCACHING is a hobby of ours and we visited 13 states and Canada and Washington DC. We drove 2,000 miles and found and logged 107 caches with at least six in each location we visited. Sharon did a great job planning this entire trip. We still need to cache in Alaska. When do we go there? Hmmmm?

We drove past New York City on 9/11 and decided to avoid the crowds there for the celebration. We finished the trip in Washington DC and walked some six miles or so finding caches there. The place was alive with all of the preparations for the visit of Pope Francis the next day.

The trip was via the Greenbelt (green metro) trip to downtown.  A highlight was to meet a longtime friend Rick Mastroianni, Library Manager at the incredible NEWSEUM. We have not seen him for 22 years. He has been there 18 years now and he was at the MUSEUM for the day to coordinate a new display from where they are developed at his location in Laurel MD. It was neat to meet up with him there. I could spend one day perhaps two at just that one place in all of DC. 

And it was fun to see all the preparation for the Pope's visit as we walked Constitution Avenue to find the caches we targeted. Then the evening return drive to NJ and over to Philly for the return flight home from Philadelphia were preparations were underway for the Pope's visit the weekend after we left. All the prep for the Pope was fascinating to witness indeed.

So today it is back to ministry and catching up on a short but fun two weeks away on ‘vacation’. And back to managing our time to be efficient and stay on top of assignments, self imposed or not. As we manage our time sometimes it's good to plan to put some things off until tomorrow. Make that a part of your planning, I do.