It's About Time
Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 4:37AM John Vandervelde
Program Director
There's an interesting book I read not too long ago called The Dance of Life by Edward T. Hall. Hall was an anthropologist who spent a great deal of effort researching how people think about, react to, and understand time. In his book he compares and contrasts how different cultures view time and how their lives interact with time. Hall shows that Western, industrialized cultures have very organized views of time. In American culture we are constantly talking about saving time, losing time, making up time, respecting time, and giving time. Good or bad, we have placed a very high value on time.
Because of our high value on time, we often blow through life being more concerned about not being late or saving time for ourselves that we often miss spending time on the things that are most important. The world around us screams to us that we need to spend more time on ourselves--more time buying stuff to make us more comfortable, more time decorating our houses, more time driving a nicer car, more time on vacation, more time watching TV, more time playing video games, more time on our iPhone, more time focused on "me." I think many of us today are convinced that time is short and that we better enjoy it as selfishly as possible.
Because of these cultural values we're often shocked and moved emotionally when people give up their agenda and spend time helping others. When people selflessly give of themselves for a meaningful cause or to help someone out, we're moved because we get a glimpse of the Kingdom of God. We can all think of examples of times when people sacrificed and gave of their time generously--it's moving, isn't it?
Today I'm moved by the amount of time donated to HoneyRock. We are a blessed ministry: people give so generously to this place. One of the most moving and inspiring donations we receive is people's time. There is hardly a place at HoneyRock that hasn't been built and maintained by volunteers. In the last month alone we've had volunteers paint rooms, build cabins, make curtains, mop floors, clean up brush, fix equipment, split firewood, work with the horses, and help with interior design ideas.
Volunteers give over 3,000 hours of service every year to HoneyRock. Wow!
Wheaton College Students Volunteering over Fall Break
So special thanks to all those who've given of their time to this ministry--it is a blessing to me and to the whole team here. Also, a word of encouragement: let's bless someone by giving them our time today!
PRAYER REQUESTS/PRAISES
>Today in staff devotions we prayed for those close to us who are struggling in their faith, particularly those who are walking in doubt and are questioning God's love. We prayed for God to touch them in a special way today.
>We pray for the Ribbe Family in South Carolina and ask that God would give Rob focused time to research and write. We also ask that God would be with and Rob, Jackie and the kids as they are continuing to adjust to a new school, church, and neighborhood.
INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING AT HONEYROCK?
>Contact Pete Sailhamer at psailhamer@honeyrockcamp.org. We have lots of ways you can get involved.
BECOME OF FAN
>Have you become a fan of HoneyRock on Facebook? If not, click the link and do so today.
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