WHY-Wednesday: Why you should read "Crazy Busy"

One of my greatest pleasures in life is reading.  Nothing quite like a good book at your bed side table (or reclining chair in the TV room, as is the case for me). 

Over the course of this past year, I have read about 20 books (both fiction and non-fiction), most of which have been absolutely incredible.  All of them have impacted me to a certain degree-- some much more than others.

One day I'll write a post on a few of my favorite books, but today I am just going to focus on one:

Crazy Busy 

by Kevin Deyoung.

People-- all of you do yourself a favor and click here right now (yes, right now!) and purchase this book immediately.

A few sample quotes from the book--

"But the truth is, you're only indispensable until you say no.  You are unique.  Your gifts are important.  People love you.  But you're not irreplaceable" (p. 36).

Ouch!

"Good hospital-ity is making your home a hospital.  The idea is that friends and family and the wounded and weary people come to your home and leave helped and refreshed.  And yet, too often hospitality is a nerve-wracking experience for hosts and guests alike.  Instead of setting our guests at ease, we set them on edge by telling them how bad the food will be, and what a mess the house is, and how sorry we are for the kids' behavior.  We get worked up and crazy busy in all the wrong ways" (p. 41).

Ummm... guilty as charged.

"The people on this planet who end up doing nothing are those who never realized they couldn't do everything" (p. 60).

"God does expect us to say no to a whole lot of good things so that we can be freed up to say yes to the most important things he has for us" (p 63).

In regards to raising children--

"I just know that the longer I parent the more I want to focus on doing a few things really well, and not get too worked up about everything else.  I want to spend time with my kids, teach them the Bible, take them to church, laugh with them, cry with them, discipline them when they disobey, say 'sorry' when I mess up, and pray a ton.  I want them to look back and think, 'I'm not sure what my parents were doing or if they even knew what they were doing.  But I always knew my parents loved me, and I knew they loved Jesus'" (p. 74).

And the home run, the theme of all Themes, the one that hits the nail on the head--

"We want to be harried and hassled and busy.  Unconsciously, we want the very things we complain about.  For if we had leisure, we would look at ourselves and listen to our hearts and see the great gaping hole in our hearts and be terrified, because that hole is so big that nothing but God can fill it" (p. 83, emphasis mine).

And with that, my friends, I bid you a good day :)