That Four-letter Word

I'd love to _________(insert dream here), but I'm too BUSY. I have noticed over the past years, as my life has gotten more and more busy, that this particular word is the first excuse used by just about everyone to justify why they simply can't do something.

After becoming particularly sensitive to this dreadful word, I recognize it quickly and am amazed at the vast variety of people who claim to be "too busy."

I have a philosophy that everyone from the President of the United States, to the bum on the street is busy. We are all busy doing something, only we can determine what our "busy-ness" entails.

I am busy raising a large family, working a full-time job, building a part-time homebased business, going to school with a full-time course load of studies, playing hockey when I can, and now I want to fulfill a lifelong dream to learn to fly. But...I'm too busy right?

Absolutely NO! But, I am too busy to watch TV, too busy to play golf or watch NASCAR, or football, too busy to watch movies, too busy to read garbage magazines or pointless books....but, I'm never too busy to engage in real life activities with kids, or with my wife, or to learn a new, life-enriching skill (like flying). As we get older, it is new challenges and experience outside of our comfort zones that enrich our lives! God has created each one of us for a specific purpose to advance His kingdom. By narrowing your focus and getting stuck, you limit the opportunities for God to use you.

As an example, I recently took a few days off to take a trip to the Dominican Republic where I learned how truly blessed I am and how fantastically wealthy North Americans are, in comparison to the 80% of the world who are poor. I lived in the midst of a sugarcane field in a shantytown of Haitian immigrants. I met some amazingly joyful people who love Christ and have nothing materially. The richness of their faith and their trust in the goodness of God changed me and convicted me of my selfishness and materialism. I suddenly understood how incredibly blessed we are in North America and the responsibility I have to make every day count. For the vast majority of the world, this dream of learning to fly could never come true. We are so blessed! Perhaps God is preparing me to one day use my in-born interest in aviation to further His kingdom, somewhere like the Dominican Republic. This (pilot's licence) will be one more tool that I will offer to God to be used in His service.

So, when people tell me that they are "too busy", I'm often tempted to ask..."Too busy doing what?" If most of us would simply kill our multiple TVs, we would have an abundance of time for the really enriching things in life.

So I commit to avoid the use of this four-letter word, and instead I choose to be thankful for health and the endless opportunites that allow us to live a life the rest of the world only dreams of.

Of course, I haven't even started flying yet, but, based on my history, if the Lord continues to bless me with good health, I have every reason to believe I will be able to do this and live this dream.

Happy Thanksgiving Day.