It looks to be another busy year in 2009. I still have all the same responsibilities from 2008. As a student: I will be taking three doctoral seminars this Spring (along with the required colloquium). These courses essential require a book a week, so I’m looking at about 30 scholarly books that will need to be read in the next four months. For the Andrew Fuller Center: There will be a journal to publish, a couple of conferences to plan, and projects to accomplish. As a pastor: I am going to be preaching a short four part overview series on the book of Genesis in January, to be followed by a more in-depth series on Exodus. On Sunday nights, I will be teaching through the Baptist Faith and Message (2000) toward the end of having it adopted by our church. I will also be leading a devotional study of the book of Psalms on Wednesday nights. By God’s grace, I am still married and still have five children. This is where I need to make the most adjustments in the new year. I have come up with a schedule which will actually allow me to spend more time with my family in 2009 while also (hopefully) allowing me to accomplish more in 2009. Increased responsibilities provide me the opportunity to tighten my schedule, cut out wasted time, and be more purposeful with how I spend my time.
I’ve made the following commitments to God, my family, and myself.
- To make sure I’m home at least three nights a week for supper and to spend the evening with the family.
- To have a “date” with my wife and each of my five children once a month.
- To have at least a one night family night a week with the kids playing games and/or watching a movie.
- To put our three boys to bed every night.
- To wake up at 5:00 am each day to get reading, studying and writing done to free up evenings with family.
- Read through the Bible (OT once, NT twice, Psalms twice).
- Read at least 52 books (maybe 100).
- Read the Greek New Testament daily.
First Books to Read in 2009
The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards Steven Lawson
The Baptists (Vol. 2) Tom Nettles
Baptist Ways Bill Leonard
Richard Sibbes Mark Dever
The Advent of Evangelicalism ed. Michael Haykin and Kenneth Stewart
Augustine as Mentor Edward Smither
Steve,
If you don’t mind me asking, what kind of things do you do for “dates” with the kids?
Jeremiah
Jeremiah,
I don’t mind you asking. I basically just take them to eat wherever they want to eat for lunch one day. Since they’re young they only want McDonald’s or Taco Bell, but this could be expensive when they get a little older and learn about “real” food. While in the truck and at the restaurant I am asking them questions about how they’re doing, what they enjoy, what the don’t like, etc. I let them talk to me about whatever they want to talk about without being interrupted by another sibling. It’s just a way to spend one-on-one time with each child.