Making More Time

Larry Lilly's Letter Thursday May 13, 2010

Making More Time?

I read a stack of online newspapers each day for a number of reasons and reading is one of the things I really enjoy. When I was 19 years old I committed to learn to speed read because I read the newly elected President John F. Kennedy could read thousands of words per minute. In those days with no internet, I searched via other dinosauric methods and found the address for Evelyn Wood who had studied and codified the methods the President used.

Through learning to use the Wood's method I learned to read several thousand words per minute with 92% retention. I also learned that I am more like Dan Quayle than JFK, but able to accomplish more than if I had not learned the method.

Having said the above it's time to share today's quote in the hopes that at least one person will see the light and adjust. Henry Dumas, poet/writer said:

"It is time to make the time."

One of the great blessings of being a pastor is to watch/participate in the personal growth of many people. One of the curses of being a pastor is to watch the gradual wasting of life by many more.

Have you heard or stated, "I need more time." Have fun with this, as no one ever at any historical period has developed a machine that will produce more than 24 hours per day. So, we must as told by Moses agree with his prayer as written in Psalms 90:12:

"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."

I recently talked with a GenX couple who are battling the fact that they at this point in their life are losing the battle. No time to pray or muse on the things of God. No time to really connect with the kids. Half finished projects abound as "there simply are not enough hours in the day" is the mantra for the month.

To "make time" you must ask yourself one of life's toughest questions: "What matters the most to me." Add to this a few other questions such as "How important is this in light of reality, or will it matter at all one hundred years from now?" You get the drift and I'll bet that your life will change for the better if you are honest and want to break the chains of wasted minutes, for wasted minutes add up to a wasted life.