THE FISHERMEN'S NET NEWSLETTER
 June 2001 |
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[ Read this Fisherman's Net newsletter in Spanish Italian Portuguese German or French ]
Published by New Covenant Ministries
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June 2001 |
|---|
[ Read this Fisherman's Net newsletter in Spanish Italian Portuguese German or French ]
|
|
by Dr. Laura Schlessinger
To realize the value of ONE YEAR How many times have you said, "I wish I had just a few more hours in the
day"? The assumption is that, given more hours, you would accomplish everything
you need to with less stress. But there is just as much chance that, given this
wish, it would only mean two more hectic hours to live through in a given day.
Perhaps we should actually be wishing for a shorter day, in which the crazy pace
of our lives is limited to fewer hours.
As Renay, one of my listeners, wrote: "I feel like my problem with time is
that I have gotten into a bad habit of filling every minute of my time with
something I think absolutely must be done and now I will not allow myself down
time without feeling like I should be doing something. I am always exhausted
from overworking myself that I am cranky and stressed out and I am not much fun
to be with."
Ironically, this manic White Rabbit (from Alice in Wonderland)
behavior and attitude has become more and more an issue as modern technology has
become a ubiquitous reality. Technology promised us modern conveniences that
would make our lives easier, but in the workplace, computers, faxes, and
cellular phones have increased the pace of work rather than diminished it. It is
no longer possible to delay a deadline by saying that the proposal is in the
mail, because they can ask for a fax to be sent immediately.
Prior to cellular phones, driving in a car could be a time for music,
catching up on the news, intimate discussions, or hearing a book on tape. Lunch
in a restaurant could not be interrupted by the ringing of supersmall cellular
phones. Working hours have now been extended by many people to include commuting
time. In the home, washing machines, dishwashers, and microwave ovens have, in
fact, made life easier. Yet it seems as if time follows the rule that nature
abhors a vacuum, because whenever time is saved, it is spent somewhere else.
Though people may be spending less time on housework, they are spending more
time schlepping their children from one activity to another. Children are also
overprogrammed, with fewer hours of free time for play or contemplative quiet
time.
One can only deduce that we avoid free time because we don't value it as
worthwhile. If we are not busy doing, we must not have important things to do.
Indeed, time has also become a way of evaluating a person's professional worth.
The term "9 to 5 job" often refers to tedious, basic employment. During the last
century, first "downsizing," then "rightsizing," posited that fewer people could
do the same amount of work. What wasn't emphasized was that the remaining people
would be working harder as the price for keeping their jobs.
We have bought into the idea that the busier you are, the more important your
life is. A recent book, Time for Life (Pennsylvania State University
Press, 1997), surveyed ten thousand people and found that, after tracking their
true working hours, they actually worked fewer hours than they thought. The
survey found that people tend to overstate the number of hours they work because
it elevates their professional status, which elevates their imagined self-worth.
Another report from the "Americans' Use of Time Project" at the University of
Maryland (Los Angeles Times, December 11, 1996) agreed that there was a big gap
between perception and reality in time use. If that's so, then why does it feel
as if there's not a minute to spare? The report concluded, "A culture that
promotes instant gratification also helps to explain why life seems more hectic
than it is. 'We want everything fast--fast food, eyeglasses in an hour,
drive-through banking. Internally, we feel rushed. And the more rushed someone
feels, the more they feel pressed for time.'"
We live in a society in which the expression "time is money," credited to
Benjamin Franklin, has come to refer to the importance of time. The only problem
with this expression is that money cannot buy more time and cheapens the value
of time. We forget that money can be replaced, but time cannot. We would be far
richer as individuals and as a society if we were to say that "time is
priceless." Then we might treat it with more respect.
A funny story tells about an old lady who was living in the
village. She had never owned nor even been in a car before. One day, she
was returning home from the market carrying a big heavy basket on
her head, when a rich man riding his car passed by. Kindly,
he offered to drive the lady to her home. She thanked him and got
into the car with her basket. On the way, the man glanced at the lady in
the mirror, still holding her basket over her head. Astonished, he asked
her to lay the basket down in the car and rest. The old lady naively
replied, "Oh my son, your car is carrying me; this is enough, I should
not burden it carrying my basket too!"
What an innocently funny response! We sometimes do the same with God.
Everyday, God carries us during the day. Still, do we insist in carrying our
heavy baskets of worries and fear of the future, for family, kids, spouse,
money, job, etc? We are carried by Almighty Hands, watched over by
Sleepless Eyes and God plans our future. Let us then relax and lay down
everything in God's Hands.
The old lady, if she agreed to lay down the basket, would have to carry it
again when back home. But the beautiful thing about God is that once we
cast our heavy basket in His Hands, we do not need to think about it
anymore.
"Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of
your heart." (Psalm 37:4)
Have a wonderful blessed week - free of "baskets."
SUBJECT: Short term medical missionary trip to
Ecuador June 7 - 17, ith PROJECT
C.U.R.E
I will be going with my son, Victor Burdick,
DDS, and his daugher, Leslie -- and
a team of several others.
PROJECT: PROJECT C.U.R.E, an international
organization based out of Denver, regularly
sends large quantities of medical supplies
to needy areas around the world.
The project in which we are involved focuses
on sending thousands of pounds of
supplies to outfit a new hospital building
in the Montecristi area of Ecuador.
The team will be setting this up and helping
local physicians, dentists, and
other
providers treating patients at various
clinics.
HELP: Each member of the team is responsible
for raising $3,500 or his/her own
expenses
Can you help me?
Make checks payable to PROJECT C.U.R.E. with
a note: For Victor Burdick, M.D
Since PROJECT C.U.R.E. is a non-profit
organization, all gifts are tax-deductible.
They (and I) will be sending you a
receipt/acknowledgement for your
gift.
(Is your address on your check?)
Thanks so much.
Dear Praying Friend,
Once again a musical group known as "Stained Glass," composed of young adult
Seventh Day Baptist musicians, will be performing throughout the summer.
Their concerts feature a blend of contemporary Christian music and a cappella
hymns. Members of the group share their testimonies, too. Because they "do
ministry" wherever they go, it is important that they have a strong prayer
base. YOU can be part of that! Jayme Osborn and Linda Greene, friends in
Minnesota, are coordinating an E-mail prayer network. Participants will be
kept up to date on Stained Glass' itinerary and specific prayer requests. Also, if you know of someone who would be interested in this
exciting prayer project, please pass along this message. This is one team
that has no restriction on the number of players (or pray-ers) allowed!
Pastor Jeanne Yurke
Regarding the article on Pennsylvania SDB Churches, it is stated
that there
are SDB's in Lancaster and Ephratha. However, until 3 years ago i
was
pastor of the German SDB church in Salemville, PA. It is a very
viable
German SDB congregation with an average attendance of about 50
during weekly
worship services. There is also a remnant located at Snowhill, PA.
At this
location is a nunnery of a similar nature to the mother church
facilities at
Ephratha.
The Salemville congregation has been in continuous existance there
since the
mid 18th century. Pastor Charles Graffius served there for 27 years
pervious to my pastorate. At present Dr. Paul Manuel serves the
congregation in Salemville. I also pastored
the Bell
SDB church in Salemville as well. There are also, of course, SDB
curches in
Philadelphia and Hebron.
It would please me very much if you would include this information
in a
future edition of Fisherman's Net.
Thank You for your ministry.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SEND AN E-Mail TO sdbgen@seventhdaybaptist.org
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