Yesterday, the time waster I had was trying to please everyone all the time.
Now, here’s part 2:
Time Waster 2: Thinking that Every Good Opportunity is One to be Pursued Immediately.
Between calls, the internet and books, I am (painfully and painfully slow) learning to have discernment about what things I need to chase.
I have a stack-0-books on my desk right now that are “Must read” for different reasons. And if you look at them, they are. But in my acquiring them, I’ll easily slip into the read-the-latest-book-of-what’s-happening-now.
I regularly start books and put them down to read the latest-greatest book. At last count, I’ve partially read about 7 books. And with each month, when I get the new idol maker…errr……Lifeway new release catalog, I’ll peruse for the latest book.
Case in point: I’m reading: Forgotten God by Francis Chan, Why we love the church by DeYoung and Kluck, Death by Love by Mark Driscoll, 7 Practices for Effective Ministry by Andy Stanley and friends, and that’s only counting the books within arms’ reach of my laptop right this second…….plus a list way long I’ve got to start and not finish.
I’ll peruse the web, and find links to other things. Before I know it: I’ve got 8 firefox tabs open.
All of them good stuff. Not all worth my immediate attention at that moment.
And finally….ironically….blogs. I subscribe to about…let me check…eleven. All of them good. Either they are personal friends or heroes I admire.
Not all of them are worth my immediate attention.
I am learning that while there are many good opportunities to pursue, not all of them are good for the immediate.
I often miss the great….in pursuing the good.
Jason
Soiled Saints 
Steve Corn Said:
on December 2, 2009 at 4:39 pm
I’ve been reading a a book (which I won’t name so you won’t be tempted to buy another) where the author describes the benefits of “selective ignorance.” There are some things I’m simply better off not knowing. The time it takes to know them, is wasted time. (Great example: most of the news.)
Steve Corn Said:
on December 3, 2009 at 8:34 am
“Reading, after a certain age, diverts the mind too much from its creative pursuits. Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking.” – Albert Einstein
Jeff Said:
on December 11, 2009 at 9:33 am
Thanks for sharing both of those things Steve — good insights! I’m glad I stopped by to see both Jason’s post AND your followup points…