Fruit or Folly?

"Never mistake activity for achievement."
-John Wooden

About a month ago I wrote a post called training in which I discussed how time consuming having young children can be and how little time I had to do some of the things I enjoy, especially Bible reading and prayer. Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that I would have to use my previous training of reading and prayer in order to live well in this current stage of my life. I'm testing that theory this month.

In another self-inflicted move of "busyness," I've filled my calendar in the month of June, but I've done it with priorities. Other than watching my girls all summer, there are 3 outside activities I'm devoting time to:

• Coaching Basketball: To those of you who haven't heard, I'm now the assistant varsity coach at Mason City. This is the position I've wanted for a while working with the coach I've wanted to work with for a while. If this scenario hadn't occurred, I was probably done coaching. June is filled with camps and open gyms.
• Umpiring high school baseball games. Usually 4 nights a week I'm on a baseball diamond.
• Grad school. Completing two courses simultaneously beginning this week. It's a summer session, so that means more work in less time.

Though my schedule is now way past full, I maintain that these were good decisions driven by some of my core values. I believe I can improve the lives of young athletes through coaching. It provides me the influence that I can have in no other way to help teach kids life skills. Umpiring is good money usually with people I enjoy being around. This allows me to bring home decent money over the summer to my family without ever having to bring my girls to daycare. Grad school is making me a better teacher. And helping me bring home more money for my family. It also could open up opportunities later for positions of greater influence.

This could also all be a huge waste if not approached correctly. Either I remain in God with these activities and produce real fruit, or I engage in activity for activity's sake and simply run from one place to another. I realized tonight that in order for this to be a productive month, I've got to make sure:

• I'm coaching basketball passionately to build up kids, not to be recognized in a position of greater importance than my last one. This can't be about me, and I've got to be very careful about that.
• My job is to serve as an umpire, just as if I were serving God. These games aren't for me to survive and collect a check; they are another opportunity to represent Christ.
• My motivation for grad school must not be to improve my standing with others, but to improve my skills in working with others.

Bottom line - either I'm with God in these endeavors, or I'm on my own trying to survive. I've done both before in my life. My experience tells me John Wooden is right.