Thursday 2 December 2010

Snowed under

You may have not have noticed but there's a bit of snow about.

It's not too bad here in Rathcoole but in parts of Armagh, Ireland and Britain it appears to be quite rough. Roads are blocked airports are at a standstill and schools are closed.

As a result a lot of people can't get into work, instead they work from home.

Many think 'working from home' is just a euphemism for enjoying a bit of a skive.  Sending a few emails and then spending a couple of hours watching Bargain Hunt or Jeremy Kyle with a toasted bagel and a cup of coffee.  But is it really like that.

Given the chance would you skive of work and never let on?

As someone who is based at home I know the temptation only too well.  I need to set myself rules like 'no TV during the day' and try to get a routine together.  For me being busy is liberating because the fight against procrastination is won by the necessity to get things done.  It's the days when I need to do preparation in the 'study' or come up with new ideas etc that are the danger days.  I'd appreciate your prayers for my concentration on those days.

To be able to work when no-one is looking is a measure of character.  To be diligent with tasks with no deadlines, to do what you should not just what you are required to.  If you had a snow-day how would you spend it, would you waste it or would you fill it with something useful?  How much of a day off would you spend on facebook for example compared to how long you might spend in prayer?

This is a challenge to me, maybe it is for you too.

Lazy hands make for poverty, 
but diligent hands bring wealth.
Proverbs 10:4

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One thing you could do on a free day read that day's portion of the 90 day bible reading challenge.  Yesterday's (day one) was very enjoyable and didn't take too long in the end. Of course it's easier to break a habit than make one so we've got to keep at it.

6 comments:

  1. Day one...complete (took longer than I thought though!)
    Day two...started this morning (then you arrived at my house on time and effectively ended that!)
    It's exciting...but I need to start cutting some stuff out to make more time. Perhaps sleep?!

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  2. Sleeping's for whimps. I was able to do the reading easily enough last night because I had nothing else on. I reckon an hour most days so that's only 1/24 of my day - should be easy right?

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  3. i think that you don't have to do the reading all in one go but it is important to come back to it. Yesterday I read it easily (maybe it's because I read it recently) but I broke it up, some in the morning, some after dinner and then the remaining in bed at night. I even managed to read a few of todays chapters last night because I thought that the 3 I read in bed didn't seem a big enough chunk.

    Is that cheating?

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  4. I was wondering about doing that too! I ended up with 3 chapters to read in bed last night, and was considering starting todays...but thought that might be cheating! Or perhaps we're being too legalistic about this!?!?

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  5. surely reading more is better, not because you are finishing quicker, job done and all that but it will hopefully then continue on past the 90days and enhance your reading.
    Like I now love Abraham, what a guy...the journey he went on to become the man of faith that we know him to be, reading small chunks doesn't give the same context and appeal.

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  6. I say if you want to read on, read on. It's great to get excited about a true story that teaches us something of God, His world and ourselves. Plus there will be days when it will be more of a chore, when it's less of a story and on those days we'll have to dig deep. Reading the Bible is a bit like love. It's a choice, we do it not because we feel like it but because it is good for our relationship, but there are days when love is a whole lot of fun and those days carry us through when it gets a bit tougher.

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