a REAL life

Currently at lifechurch.tv we are in the "Better" series and last week we were discussing the verse: Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. Ecclesiastes 4:6

You can find this message online along with other great messages from Life Church and Pastor Craig at http://www.lifechurch.tv/watch

This message to me was so powerful I can barely express it. The average American is way too "busy" yet when you speak to someone who is SO busy and actually ask them what they're doing, you will maybe find 2 out of 1,000 things they name off which are actually productive, useful, relevant, and meaningful. I'm one of those people.

After this message I started making a list in my head of the things I did which actually matter and/or are necessary.

Here's my list...with a little bit of math (which I am not a fan of by the way)
Work: 40 hours per week (8 hours per day-5 days per week)
Sleep: 42 hours per week (6 hours per day-7 days per week)
Gym: 5 hours per week (1 hour per day- 5 days per week)
Church: 1 hour per week
Daily Bible Reading- 6 hours per week (usually takes me about 30 mins per night to read through, analyze, pray, think, etc.)
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40+42+5+1= 88 hours per week worth of stuff that matters
24 hrs x 7 days = 168 hours exist in a week
168-88= 80 hours per week left over
80 hours/7 days= 11.42 hours of AVERAGE downtime PER DAY!!!

Mind you the 11.42 hours includes the weekend days as well. So, on weekdays I don't have 11.42 hours of my day left after work and the gym. Still, my life never feels like I have ONE hour per day left over much less 3,4, or ELEVEN!! Which only leads me to analyze myself and realize that I am spinning my wheels. I am filling my life with things that DON'T matter...i.e.: t.v. shows, my phone, Facebook, Twitter, I would say my blog but I feel it's not a time waster because it may help someone. I worry too much and I'm sure that sucks up a good few hours per day. All this time I felt like I barely fit in cleaning my house and spending time with Sasa but reality is...I have all the time I need I have just been wasting it on things that don't matter and taking it for granted.

Pastor Craig said something which is still ringing in my ears, "GET A REAL LIFE!!" I am making a commitment to turn my phone off more, tweet less, give Facebook a break, give up on reruns and reality t.v. and actually do things which matter. I'm hoping to challenge people to do the same.

Time is something you can neither do over nor get more of, what are you wasting yours on?