Three months ago I received a book and was asked to review it for a journal. I started reading it. It was on the roots of suffering and I found it engaging. But, then I put the book down and somehow it got overshadowed by other reading and doing. Occasionally I would clear off my desk and it would emerge from under the rubble of daily life. I would read some more.

The book review is NOW due. And I am busy reading the rest of it so I can send in my thoughts.

I am reminded of what I learned in time management courses some years ago as I tried to manage the constant confusion and demands of ministry. “Work expands to fill time.” The purpose of that wisdom statement was to encourage me to set time limits on tasks and when I did that, I got more done. When I thought I had lots of time, I took lots of time to do the task.

This is a lesson I have to learn over and over. And it is especially hard to learn at this stage of life when I am not serving a church or a seminary and other people are not setting limits on my time or defining my tasks. I have to set my own time limits or I won’t get much done at all.

So, I have run out of time on writing this blog. I best end it here. I have to meet my deadline on the book review. Next time I will set more time to write the blog so it doesn’t end so abruptly.