August 5 devotion - You Say Tomato

Titus 1:3          …and which now at his appointed season he has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior…

            You say “Tomato,” and I say, “Pomodoro.”

            Pomodoro is the Italian word for tomato. It’s also the name of a time management technique that I have recently been using. The system was developed by an Italian college student who, in his freshman year, realized that he had a lot of reading, studying, and writing to do which could overwhelm him. So he took a tomato cooking timer and set it to 25 minutes. For every task he was about to undertake, he gave it 25 fully focused minutes in order to get the bulk of his work done. After each Pomodoro portion, he took a break to either get some coffee, go for a short walk, or just sit back and chill out. The technique worked and he successfully completed his full college course.

            The Pomodoro technique is an excellent system for workplace situations where people tend to overdo the multi-tasking that a lot of folks claim they accomplish. Using the Pomodoro enables workers to focus on an important task, take the necessary breaks in order to recharge, and to accomplish it successfully. As I wrote, I have been using the technique during this summer and have found it has helped me become more focused and productive.

It’s also a highly beneficial technique for anyone who is undergoing stress. Perhaps there’s a serious illness in your family or you’re just feeling overwhelmed. You still have a lot of responsibilities and don’t know where or how to start. Writing down your main task list and then working on those items individually for 25 minutes each may help you accomplish what you need to do. It’s an excellent system for busy people – mothers with schoolchildren – adults with ailing parents – seniors with responsibilities – and, of course, college students.

So why am I writing about this as a Bible devotion? Today’s verse is all about God’s appointed time for Christ’s ministries and missions. The Greek word used is ‘kairos,’ which means a special moment that God has predestined. It seems that God is into Time Management, too, in order to get His work accomplished. J

Questions for personal reflection

How busy am I these days? When I get overwhelmed by my responsibilities, what techniques do I use to fulfill them? How does God want me to use my precious time?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You had so little time on Earth and yet You fulfilled all Your appointed tasks. Help us to focus on what You need us to do today, so our lives will be given meaning and purpose in Your Kingdom. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

If you would like to read about the technique, a short Kindle e-book is available at this link: Pomodoro.

Church devotion - Changing Time - Mark 1:15

Mark 1:15       “The time has come,” Jesus said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (NIV)

            Yesterday, we all had to put our clocks forward an hour in order to synchronize our lives with Daylight Savings Time. I must admit, I hate the process, not just because of all the clocks, timers, and alarms that need to be re-set, but because we live in a 24-hour active world where daylight doesn’t really matter anymore. My solution to the problem would be this: put the clocks forward one Spring for half-an-hour and never, ever change them again.

            In the New Testament, there are two forms of time. The first is ‘Cronos,’ which is an hour by hour system of time that we still try to manage each and every day. The second form is called “Kairos,’ which is all about a specially appointed time by God for an important event in our faith history. In today’s passage, Jesus states that the ‘time has come,’ which is Kairos. It means that this is the appointed time that God has set for Christ to begin His ministry.

            In our lives, there are holy and sacred moments that God appoints which will affect our faith and possibly change us forever. A personal conversion experience, a calling to ministry or an invitation to move elsewhere are all examples of Kairos. In those special moments, God’s Hand is at work, directing and guiding us to something new, something He wants to be done, and something that will become important to us.

            Perhaps you are unsettled or even wondering what to do, where to go, or how to start. Maybe this is God’s way of telling you that He is preparing a new work, a new way, and a new path for you to accept, embrace, and walk. Even Christ had to start His ministry at some appointed Kairos time; perhaps God is letting you know that this happening to you, too.

Point to ponder

Am I drifting aimlessly or is God pulling me toward something new? Am I willing to accept His guidance at this appointed time?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, our lives do not fully belong to us and our times are always in Your hands. You know us completely and perfectly understand our present circumstances. Guide us to an appointed place and time, so that we may know of God’s purpose for this moment in our lives. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

Today’s image is one of John’s sunflower drawings called ‘Waiting for Summer.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Sunflowers.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. You can view the church’s website at www.erinpresbyterian.org.

Time Management: You Say Tomato - Titus 1:3

Titus 1:3          …and which now at his appointed season he has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior…

            You say “Tomato,” and I say, “Pomodoro.”

            Pomodoro is the Italian word for tomato. It’s also the name of a time management technique that I have recently been using. The system was developed by an Italian college student who, in his freshman year, realized that he had a lot of reading, studying, and writing to do which could overwhelm him. So he took a tomato cooking timer and set it to 25 minutes. For every task he was about to undertake, he gave it 25 fully focused minutes in order to get the bulk of his work done. After each Pomodoro portion, he took a break to either get some coffee, go for a short walk, or just sit back and chill out. The technique worked and he successfully completed his full college course.

            The Pomodoro technique is an excellent system for workplace situations where people tend to overdo the multi-tasking that a lot of folks claim they accomplish. Using the Pomodoro enables workers to focus on an important task, take the necessary breaks in order to recharge, and to accomplish it successfully. As I wrote, I have been using the technique during this summer and have found it has helped me become more focused and productive.

It’s also a highly beneficial technique for anyone who is undergoing stress. Perhaps there’s serious illness in your family or you’re just feeling overwhelmed. You still have a lot of responsibilities and don’t know where or how to start. Writing down your main task list and then working on those items individually for 25 minutes each may help you accomplish what you need to do. It’s an excellent system for busy people – mothers with schoolchildren – adults with ailing parents – seniors with responsibilities – and, of course, college students.

So why am I writing about this as a Bible devotion? Today’s verse is all about God’s appointed time for Christ’s ministries and missions. The Greek word used is ‘kairos,’ which means a special moment that God has predestined. It seems that God is into Time Management, too, in order to get His work accomplished. J

Questions for personal reflection

How busy am I these days? When I get overwhelmed by my responsibilities, what techniques do I use to fulfill them? How does God want me to use my precious time?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You had so little time on Earth and yet You fulfilled all Your appointed tasks. Help us to focus on what You need us to do today, so our lives will be given meaning and purpose in Your Kingdom. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

If you would like to read about the technique, a short Kindle e-book is available at this link: Pomodoro.