Relational Challenges of the 21st Century--Part 4--Having Too Many Activities

Today has been down day, due to the continuation of yesterday's cold. I spent a good portion of today in bed, due to lack of energy. I haven't felt this wasted in awhile. Fortunately, I've felt more energy in the later afternoon, which was good, as my wife was exhausted by then trying to care for her sick husband and 2 young kids. I was even able to cook supper.

I had to cancel my regular Wednesday morning planning meeting for La Fonderie, as well as miss the first session of Torrents of Hope tonight.

While commiserating about my sickness this morning in my bed, I had lots of time to vent to God. Afterwards, I asked the question if He had anything to say to me through this illness. Was this sickness a way of getting my attention about something?

It seemed like He said that this sickness was largely due to having too many ministry involvements. Selah.

I started to think about all that is going on from now until the end of November. My weekly schedule during this period includes:
--Dropping off our son at school at 8:15 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
--Picking him up on some of these days at 11:15 a.m.
--Dropping him back off at school at 1:15 p.m. on some of these days.
--Weekly swim class with him one afternoon a week.
--Weekly church staff meeting and lunch on Tuesday (9:00 a.m.-2 p.m.)
--Weekly Fonderie planning meeting on Wednesday morning at 9:00 a.m.
--Weekly Torrents of Hope class on Wednesday night (7:45 p.m.-10:00 p.m.) through the end of November
--Weekly meeting with ministry interns Isaac and Christina on Thurday
--5 Thursday night sessions Fonderie sessions (October 20, 27, November 3, 10, 17)
--Saturday night youth service at Belleville.
--Sunday morning worship service at Belleville

Besides these punctual activities, there also are other regular ministry activities, such as:
--Donor correspondance
--Recruitment of interns
--Development of relationships in our neighborhood
--Hospitality

There also is the group for mothers of preschoolers that my wife is hoping to launch with another woman on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.

Then there is time as a couple, as well as trying to help our son adjust to French school, as well as spending time with our daughter, who will start school next year. There is also my wife's pregnancy and the reality that her energy level will decrease and she'll need more physical help. Then there will be a new baby in our lives as of early February 2006.

The bottom line is that, while my "ministry" activities are all well and good, there isn't enough time each week to reasonably do all of them well. Somehow I need to cut something out. God seemed to give a solution as well and my wife is in agreement with it.

It's a good reminder that quantity isn't always quality. Schedule pruning is necessary to build quality relationships. These relationships often provide the foundation for vintage ministry fruit with depth and value. One danger of too many activities is a ministry that is 3 miles wide, but only an inch deep.