Keeping Busy

I remember a few weeks ago as I was talking on the phone while unloading the dishwasher while waiting for my spaghetti sauce to simmer that thinking in my head, "I am always busy."

At first I thought, "I must need to cut something out." Very quickly though the passage from Titus 2 came to mind (most likely via the Holy Spirit), "3Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."

It was like the lightbulb finally came on in my head! I AM supposed to be busy! The issue is not whether or not I use my time, but how I use it!

1 Timothy 5 and in 2 Thessalonians 3 Paul encourages us to be busy because if not, we become idle, and when we become idle, we often become busy-bodies, gossiping and slandering. He encourages those people to get on the stick! Start working, start managing your homes, etc. He also says that when we become idle, busy-body-ing gossips (haha) we "have given the enemy opportunity for slander" (1 Timothy 5:14) and that some women even end up following Satan (1 Timothy 5:15) which correlates with 2 Timothy 2:16 which says that we should "avoid godless chatter because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly."

Wow! It says when we don't stay busy, we can easily become gossips and basically join up forces with Satan. Who wants to do that?!

My friend (okay so he doesn't know me, but Daryl and I watch/listen to some of his stuff) Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church says it like this, "A woman who is a gossip and a busy body is working for Satan...You have a husband, you have kids, you have a home, you have things to do. Stay busy."

Now I know that being married isn't always God's plan for everyone or for all seasons. I believe that a woman's time of singleness (however long God ordains it) can be EXTREMELY awesome and an excellent time of service for the Kingdom of God (and Paul even talks about that in Corinthians). I also believe that having meaningful friendships and finding appropriate rest and leisure are good (other verses on this as well).

But my point is that all of us ladies need to be careful to stay busy - either serving, volunteering, cleaning our kitchens, changing diapers, etc, because the lure of Satan to keep us from adorning the gospel is huge otherwise. Let's quit complaining or being so scared of being busy about the things we're supposed to be busy about! Let's just get busy being busy about the right things!

For those of you who love pictures, here are some pictures of Anna and I, staying busy...well...mostly busy :)

learning about boys

carving her first pumpkin

family portrait

The Blaney clan and their pumpkins :)

learning to enjoy all sorts of cuisine...


resting and leisuring :)

$3 won't cover it

In the parable of the Good Samaritan in the Bible a man asks Jesus what He has to do to "inherit eternal life." Jesus tells him (see Luke 10:25-37 for the whole story) and it says, "But he [the man questioning Jesus], desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus..."

Every time I read that that verse it pricks me because I am so often like that man. I want to justify myself where I fall short out of either pride - I don't want to admit I'm wrong, or laziness - I don't want to do what it takes to change.

I remember a guy in college saying in regards to physical intimacy before marriage, "Why don't stop asking how far is too far and start asking ourselves, 'How pure can I be? And then go after it.'"

It made such a profound impact on me because he was right! But so often what we do as Christians or even not is to get as close to the line, just before it comes sin or "really bad" as we can because we've bought into Satan's lie that that is the best place to be. But it isn't. Usually when we get close to the line, it's just too hard not to go ahead and cross it. Oddly enough, when we flee the line (like God has advised us to do), and pursue holiness through Christ, that is when we are most satisfied.

We often ignorantly trade laziness for productivity, modesty for looks from a guy who will also look at every other immodest girl, great sex for cheap sex, nagging for kindness, gossip for friendship, and as Mark talked about on Sunday - $3 worth of God for fullness of joy and the chance to light up the world.

I love how J.P. (John Piper - and one of D & I's new heroes) puts it in his book Don't Waste Your Life...

"...in creating us for his glory, he is
creating us for our highest joy. He is most glorified in us when
we are most satisfied in him."

Why don't we believe God that His ways are the best ways? Why don't we shelf the excuses and throw out the temporary pleasures and fail-to-satisfy goods and buy in to the real thing. Let's buy in to Him and thus be satisfied and truly joyful forever.