“Hello, my name is busy.” What a way to open a book! If you are like me, sometimes ‘busy’ feels like an understatement.
A few weeks ago, I received a digital copy of the new book Crazy Busy, written by Kevin DeYoung. As a self-described “mercifully short book,” I was able to easily read it in just a few hours. At the end of chapter one, DeYoung lays out his plan for the book: “three dangers to avoid, seven diagnoses to consider, and one thing you must do.” (p. 18)
To me, the highlight of the book was in the 7 diagnoses that he describes. He spends a chapter on each one. My favorite was chapter 6, “A Cruel Kindergarchy – Diagnosis #4: You Need to Stop Freaking Out about Your Kids.” As a father with three small children, it is rather easy to ‘freak out’ about my kids. DeYoung accurately pinpoints the problem in this chapter. Consider what he wrote:
“We live in a strange new world. Kids are safer than ever before, but parental anxiety is skyrocketing. Children have more options and more opportunities, but parents have more worry and hassle. We have put unheard-of amounts of energy, time, and focus into our children. And yet, we assume their failures will almost certainly be our fault for not doing enough. We live in an age where the future happiness and success of our children trumps all other concerns. No labor is too demanding, no expense is too high, and no sacrifice is too great for our children. A little life hangs in the balance, and everything depends on us.” (p. 65)
Another timely chapter was one titled, “Deep Calls to Deep: You Are Letting the Screen Strangle Your Soul.” He writes that our state of being constantly ‘plugged in’ contributes to our feeling ‘crazy busy.’The one downside to the book is that it is short on practical advice. When I read a book like this I expect to learn tips and secrets to save time or to help me better manage my time. DeYoung does not include any of these. However, his “one thing you must do” cuts straight to the heart of the matter. I won’t tell you what he says, but I think he gets it right.
I recommend that you read this book. It is easy to read and I personally found it extremely helpful. In addition, it’s very affordable! You can purchase it from any of the following online retailers.
- CDB – Christianbook.com – cheapest option for printed version (including shipping)
- Westminster Books
- Amazon – best option if you want the kindle version; possibly cheapest option for printed version if you have Prime membership
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