shopping for time, part 1 of 6

Hi, chickies. :) 

I've been wanting to talk to you about a book I read recently called Shopping for Time (recommended to me by my friend Charity), and am finally sitting down for a bit here to do it! I think we need six days to give it its proper due, even though it is only 94 pages long. 

This book is not your average "get yourself organized in a jiffy" book, but, rather, focuses on the bigger, lifelong issue of making wise choices regarding our time and priorities.  

It is written from a Christian worldview.  The authors are Carolyn Mahaney and her three daughters, Nicole Whitacre, Kristin Chesemore, and Janelle Bradshaw, who also write and maintain the Girltalk blog.   

I highly recommend this book if you are concerned with making good choices about how you spend your days.

The subtitle of the book is "How to Do It All and Not Be Overwhelmed," but to be honest, I think this is not a great subtitle.  :) The phrase "do it all" has such specific, superwoman connotations, I think, and doesn't jive with the book's premise that we're really NOT called to "do it all." Rather, we're called to do what God has in mind for us each day.  Here's what they say:

We can accomplish everything God has ordained for us to do in this life. (Hint: It's probably not half of what's on your to-do list.)

So maybe just ignore the subtitle. :)

The Introduction explains that not only can we accomplish what God has ordained for us each day, but that we can do it in "a peaceful, joyful manner, and get sufficient rest besides."  

Chapter one then explains this concept of "shopping for time," which is actually a Biblical concept. (I will mention that because I'm not a big shopper, this sustained metaphor of "shopping" didn't really grab me at first.  When they started fleshing out this metaphor and showing the Biblical basis for it, I saw that it was substantive.  So if you're not an enthusiastic shopper, don't let the metaphor make you miss the excellent content.)

The following info is my own paraphrase of the authors' content.  I really recommend that you read the book yourself.

In Chapter One, the authors spend time looking at Ephesians 5:15-16:

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but wise, making the best use of time, because the days are evil.

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but wise" means to approach each day circumspectly rather than blindly. The choices for how we use our time are either "unwise" or "wise". Pretty straightforward. :)

"Making the best use of time" means to "buy up, rescue from loss, or improve" the use of time, and suggests we should spend our time each day as carefully as we would spend our money. (Or more carefully, if you're bad with money. Ha.)  The writers acknowledge Ecclesiastes 3:1, which says "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven."  Every woman goes through many different seasons in life.  Depending on the season you are in, your best priorities for how you spend your time will differ.  A mom with a nursing baby is going to have different priorities for her time than a mom with kids in school during the day, and an adolescent girl is going to have different priorities for her time than a woman going through menopause or working outside the home, etc.  

God sets the boundaries for each season of our lives, and is in complete and sovereign control.

"Because the days are evil" means not only that we live in a fallen world and are daily exposed to evil, but that we will struggle with evil in our own hearts, and that each day brings its own set of troubles (Matthew 6) we will have to face.  This evil around us should not instill fear, but should instill carefulness, and encourage us to make Godly choices with our time.  In John 16:33, Jesus says "In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

The book then goes on to list five, meaty (it appears I prefer food metaphors to shopping metaphors! ha.) tips for making the most of our days.  

Tomorrow we'll discuss tip number one. 

Tip number one is going to kill you, but hear it out. :) Stay tuned!