Wise Planning

Today’s blog corresponds to one of the points from Andy’s message at the Family Life Meeting on Saturday Night. If you didn’t have a chance to hear the message you can download soon here.

We can enjoy peace in busyness through wise planning

SIGNS THAT YOU MIGHT NEED TO WORK IN THIS AREA:

• You don’t have a functional way to manage your family’s calendar or budget
• You’re continually surprised by things that you’ve committed to but don’t remember.
• You have trouble saying no, or find yourself saying yes to things you wish you didn’t.

Vision from God’s Word:

Hebrews 13:20-21 ²⁰ Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, ²¹ equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Enjoying Peace Through Application:

1. BATTLING YOUR PRESSURES: Consider which of the following desires can tend to drive the way you make decisions and spend your time. Discuss with your spouse and your fellowship group the specific ways you see these desires play out in your life.

Common Controlling Desires

· The desire for comfort/pleasure (peace through ease, leisure, avoidance of difficulty, enjoyment of indulgence)

· The desire for control/independence (peace through order or productivity, control over others, or not being controlled by others)

· The desire for approval (peace through the respect or approval of others, avoidance of conflict, people pleasing)

· The desire for rights (peace through being correct, not being questioned, sensitivity to issues of justice)

· The desire for possessions (peace through having money or the things money can buy, needing bigger, better, newer, or, conversely, trusting the ability to provide or wisely manage money)

2. TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR PLANS: Choose a usable calendar that both husband and wife can access and coordinate. Mark out non-negotiables – things like community group, date nights, Family times, important meetings, etc for up to a year. Talk about your upcoming schedule on a weekly basis

3. FOCUSING YOUR ATTENTION: If you use Microsoft Outlook, have the program open to your calendar, not your email. This will help you focus more on things you planned to do than on things that are coming at you through email. To do this:

In Outlook – hit Tools

In Tools – hit Options

In Options – Hit Other

In Other – Hit Advanced Options

In Advanced Options, in the blue box under “General Settings” see the command ‘Start-up in this folder”. Choose “Calendar”

Then “OK” Your way back through the menus

4. BUILDING YOUR PRIORITIES: Make a list of all the significant responsibilities that fill up your calendar. When you’re done, prayerfully prioritize these items by placing numbers next to them. One is the top priority. When you are finished, take a look at them in light of the following questions
• Which of my high priorities do I most often neglect? Why is that?
• Do my schedule priorities reflect God’s priorities in scripture for me?
• Is there a place where my spouse and I disagree? Who can we invite into our lives to help us talk through any disagreements
• How do your priorities compare with other believers around you? Who could you show your list to for fresh evaluation?

What in your schedule has a trumping effect – something that always seems to get attention? Make a list of items which have the effect of “bumping” things off your calendar. Try to think of three things. Then sit down with your spouse and evaluate whether these items are appropriately invading your calendar. Caring for a sick relative, for instance, may be creating havoc on your calendar but be God’s unique call upon your schedule in this season. The latest events on “CSI: Dancing With the American Idol at The Office” may be a little more demanding on your time than you might think.

What church events are important for your family in this season, how does your calendar reflect this priority.

Do you have a pressure season in your work, school, or home? For example, accountants are going to have a busy schedule around tax season for instance. Where are these challenges present in your schedule? How can you plan for them in advance so they don’t effect your priorities too much?