Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Leisure

So, how much leisure would you say is too much? At what point does it become pure sloth and laziness? I think I hit that laziness factor over the summer. The hardest part of it, was getting out of it. lol I am now getting to the point of being able to get done during that day those things which must get done. Things like house cleaning, making meals, doing homework, etc. Today has thrown me for a loop though. I had grand plans. I was going to put another coat of stain on the cabinets when we got home from class, then I would start on my Greek. I could get my homework done, work on my vocabulary, and do some translating. Then I was planning on spending a half hour on the exercise bike, and I could read the material for Augustine that I have to know for a presentation on Tuesday. But, wouldn't you know it....I was almost done the cabinets, and the power went out. That was at 5:30 ish this evening. It's finally back on now. It came on at 9. And of course, being dark and absolutely frigid in the house, we went out to shop for a bit while we waited. We got home, still dark and frigid. So, I was trying to study my Greek by flashlight. It was alright, but not great. So, my whole evening was thrown for a complete loop.

In terms of leisure, we have had some discussions of that in our house. DH has been reading a book about leisure, and how things have changed over the centuries, in terms of the definition of leisure. At one point, leisure was a relaxation time that was essentially a reward for work. But, it wasn't a dominating factor of life. Today, leisure is a big part of our lives. We have the TV, movies, computers, and various hobbies. I find that while going to school, it is hard to make sure I don't spend too much time on leisure activities. But, sometimes time get away from me. But, at what point does leisure pass from a fun activity to being a sinful one? I think that it really happens when leisure gets to the point of neglect. That could be when someone is watching football every Sunday at the neglect of family time....that proverbial, "not now hun, the game is on". Or the times when you have spent so much time at an activity that you haven't touch a single thing for house cleaning. Or you play so many games online that nothing gets done, or perhaps it even ruins your job.

When we start getting into a self destructive behavior, we really need to examine whether that leisure activity is worth it. Do you really need to spend that extra time online tonight, when your kids are asking for you to read them a bedtime story? Do you really have to be so intense on the sports game on TV that you can't hold down a conversation with your spouse? If we don't have time for those people that are right beside us, how do we even remotely have time for God? Our relationship with God is paramount. And yet, so many people sit there doing other things, that they just run out of time.

How should we regard that time? It's not always leisure. Sometimes people overwork. Whatever the reason, is it worth it? Is it worth losing that relationship with God? I think there are a lot of people out there, who claim to be Christians, who do not devote time to their spiritual life. And no, I'm not talking just going to Church on Sundays. I'm talking about the other 6 days of the week. Do you ever stop and just listen? Do you take time every day to just talk to God, or listen to God, or contemplate His word? I admit that I have faltered in this. I am trying very hard to refocus my life. It's not that it is hard to do, it's just that everything else is so habitual. It's like driving somewhere and you go the old way because the new path is different than the old one. You sort of drive on autopilot. But, it's time to turn off the autopilot, and go for the new path.

No comments: