Focus

Last week I did an exercise with the students in my class (I am teaching the upper primary class in Lim Ah Pin). They were given a sheet of paper to tally how many hours they spent on Saturday playing, watching TV, reading, doing their homework and chores, praying, reading the Bible and other activities.

Most of the students spent less than an hour out of the 15 waking hours doing something for God. In fact, most of them spent less than half an hour. They only made it past an hour when I added chores as something you do for God (because it's part of honouring their parents I think).

But I think often we older youth are all the more guilty of spending less and less time on God. On Saturdays, I spend about four hours cleaning. Another four hours or so reading or doing things that I didn't have time to do during the week (like filing my bank correspondence or writing letters). This month, I have also spent a lot of time preparing for my classes, on average about five hours. So I guess that is good. And thanks to Jon, there is usually something on at church on Saturday that I take part in. So far, I think my weekends are pretty balanced.

Lately, however, the weekdays have been merging into an endless work blur. My editor recently said to me, "Joan, after a while work and life just merge into one." I protested at that, but I realise it has become true. Apart from the occasional run in the morning, the time I try to allot to Bible study (but usually fail) and my eating and showers, there seems to be no time to do anything else. I've been working longer and longer hours as the workload increases.

To that end, I am now making a resolution to spend less time at work. To try harder to make the work-life balance an actual balance instead of a permanently upended scale. And I suppose for those who are studying, it becomes a study-life balance. Count the hours and see whether it's worth it. Because ultimately, there is no earth-heaven balance. It's eternity.