Procrastination and the Joy of Work

You know that feeling of knowing you need to or should do something, but just really not wanting to do it? Yea, me either. Ok, there was this one time last week...maybe a picture will tell a thousand words:

















The thought expressed in this picture is very tempting to believe, but I think it's one of the deceptions that steals our joy in life.

Last week I was sitting there with a couple hours to work with, some dishes in the sink I needed to wash and a Bible study that needed some preparation. Audrey was heading out of the house so I was left to my own devices. Now, this feeling doesn't always come over me, but it definitely happens fairly often. The feeling of just really not wanting to tackle the job I have in front of me, just a real feeling of a lack of motivation or excitement about anything. And these jobs were not super difficult per se, but it was just more the temptation to be lazy and do nothing verses putting some effort into getting something done. It was honestly a struggle, but I finally decided to get my hands dirty, or clean, and wash some dishes. And it struck me as I began to get into it how my motivation dramatically picked up and I was really enjoying the chore, not just trudging through it. By the end I was excited and looking forward to the other job I had in front of me. This feeling compared to the feeling I probably would have had if I had chosen to procrastinate: more feelings of demotivation, combined probably with a bit of guilt for choosing to be lazy, and a feeling of lost time where I was feeling bad about my choice while not getting anything done.

Ironically, or not, the Bible passage that I studied that day included this:

"But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." Hebrews 3:13

It struck me that it is the deceitfulness of sin at work in my heart during those times of wanting to procrastinate and be lazy. The lie is that doing what my flesh wants is going to be better in the end than doing what I know God designed me for, one of those things definitely being work. There is of course a time and place for rest, but at least for me, my struggle is more often against laziness than workaholism. And actually, I feel like work and rest go hand-in-hand, one not really fully being able to come without the other. I think of the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve walked with God in the cool of the evening after a long day of work. It strikes me as quite a restful time, but what would it have been without the hard work of the day leading up to it?

In the end what really struck me was that I want to know and experience more of the kind of fulfillment in work that God intended for us, but I realize that with my fallen nature it is going to take tough times of deciding against my natural desires, much tougher than choosing to wash the dishes, to keep my heart soft and able to choose God's way over my own.

Apparently there is a book by a CEO who tried to put some of these principles of finding joy in our work into practice at his company. I haven't read it, but I think I might check it out. Here's the book:

Jesus in Berkeley?

For so many who consider themselves followers of Jesus, when they decide that UC Berkeley will be their university of choice, find that what soon follows is warnings from parents, friends, pastors, etc. about how dangerous such a place can be for to their faith. Guard your faith when you go to Berkeley.










What many people don't seem to realize is that Jesus in alive and well in Berkeley, changing hearts, drawing people to Himself, and living in the people who make up the quite numerous churches and campus ministries in town.









On August 28th, 2008 in Pauley Ballroom in the center of campus 28 different churches and campus ministries sponsored an event to welcome new and returning students, and to display the fact that Jesus is in Berkeley, and that His followers love one another and care mostly that He is glorified, not that our individual efforts succeed. It was a beautiful picture of a small step toward what Jesus prayed for in John 17- that we would be brought to complete unity SO THAT the world may believe that God sent Jesus, and know that God loves them just as He loves Jesus.

Trip Down the Coast

Last Saturday (8/2) Audrey and I took advantage of our last free Saturday until we don't know when to take a drive down the coast to the Big Sur area to go for a nice hike through the redwoods. What we forgot was that there were huge fires there not too long ago and so the trail we wanted to take was closed. We didn't learn this until we had eaten our picnic lunch, changed shoes, put together our day pack, put on sunscreen, loaded up on water, and then walked 50 feet to the trail head where it was roped off saying that the trail was closed. :)

There was a 1/4 mile trail down to the coast where there was a gorgeous waterfall and cove, so that was pretty cool. Then we drove back up to just south of Monterey and hiked around the Point Lobos State Reserve. Lots of birds, cool rock formations and sea lions in those parts.

All in all it was a terrific day out in the beautiful California sun leaving our worries behind in Berkeley at least for a day. Here's some pics from our day.

No church, no problem?

I've been thinking and reading a lot recently about people's view on the church. What is it for? What does God desire from churches? Are churches becoming unnecessary, or will they become so in the future? Jesus talked about building His church on "this rock." What did he mean? Visible church vs. invisible church?

My very short take on it all: God intends for us to live out our commitment to Him within the context of a church community, both visible and invisible. We cannot do without the web of relationships that comes from being a committed member of a church body, at least we cannot do very well.

Granted the church has its problems today, just as it always has, but what can we expect? The church is made up of people in desperate need of grace from God, and who continue to struggle to live how God desires even, and perhaps especially, after they join the community. We should not do away with hospitals because we find sick people there, that's the whole reason for the hospital. Healing sick people is not the only, or main, purpose of the church, but it is one of them, and God desires for that to happen first and foremost within His church.

Anyway, here's some links to stuff I've been reading that touches on these issues in one way or another. Would love to hear your thoughts!

Books:
The Shack, William P. Young
The Reason for God, Timothy Keller

Articles:
http://www.modernreformation.org/default.php?page=articledisplay&var1=ArtRead&var2=946&var3=issuedisplay&var4=IssRead&var5=100 (Courtesy of Bill Barnes)

Sermon Prep

I'm always amazed how preparing a sermon is different every time, and yet God somehow always comes through to get across what He has on His mind. Inevitably there is a point in my preparation process where I think, yea this isn't going well, and what am I going to say on Sunday? Which isn't a good feeling at the time, but it drives me back to asking God to do His work through my preparation, which of course is a very good thing. I am somewhere around that point right now preparing for this Sunday, and remembering that it's happened before gives me some encouragement, and an assurance that God will come through this time as well. So now, to the task of bringing the thoughts and insights of the last few days together into something coherent and God-willing helpful for others.

Childs Family Backpacking Trip Summer 2008

It's a tradition 43 years in the making. My mom and her dad first found this secret spot in the summer of 1965. Most years since, parts of the Doyle/Childs family have made the 6 mile trek in to enjoy the pine tree forests, drinkable spring water, rainbow and brook trout (yum!), and just time away from the hustle and bustle of life.

Audrey was an honorary member of the family last summer, but got to be a full fledged member this year.

Here we are preparing to set out on our hike:









In camp:









Friend in the forest:










Fish for breakfast:

g3 men's backpacking trip

I was reminded this past weekend how much I love the outdoors, especially in the Sierra Mountains. The smell of pine trees, clean air, and dirt in your hair. :)

It's so easy to get caught up in all the craziness of modern society and lose sight of what's important in life. But somehow taking some time out, slowing down, and just walking around in the middle of a forest, by a lake, up a mountain of rock boulders, gives me some perspective on things.

This past weekend I got to spend a couple days with 4 other great guys from g3 (New Church's young adult group) up at Lake Margaret near Kirkwood ski resort. It was such a blessing to enjoy some unhurried time together hiking, swimming, telling stories, playing the bean game, and much more.

It makes me want to get out to the mountains more often, we'll see what we can do.

Steve



Here's some pics from our trip:

g3 Men's Backpacking Trip