Good Use of Time: 11 Principles to Live By - Rafael Tomás Caldera

Good Use of Time: 11 Principles to Live By
Rafael Tomás Caldera
Scepter Publishing
ISBN 9781594171857
ASIN B00D5VUHPY

This was a great little read. It was mentioned by an author in another book I was reading and I thought I would pick it up. Coming in under 50 pages it really packs a lot of information into it's brief format. The sections in the book are:

Prologue
 1. He Has More Who Needs Less
 2. Today, Now
 3. Urgent Things Can Wait
 4. Devoting Time to the Good Use of Time
 5. Put Your Heart Into What You Are Doing
 6. First One Thing, Then Another
 7. Make Haste Slowly
 8. Many Measures of Oil Can be Poured Into a Barrel Full of Nuts
 9. Setting Time Limits
10. Growing On The Inside
11. Remember That One Day You Too Are Going to Die
Epilogue

The intent and focus of the book is to help us live better lives, in the prologue the author states: ""Teach us," the Psalmist asks the Lord, "to number our days, so that we may get a heart of wisdom" (Ps 90:12). Each of our lives is a learning process that can never be repeated. So let us wholeheartedly make the Psalmist's prayer our own." And this book is a great little tool to help remind us about what is important especially in the use of the finite hours we have here on earth. I must confess that while reading I reflected upon my recent use of time: movies, tv, books, and games and came to the conclusion that I need to tighten down my focus yet again. And this book helps us to do so.

Rafael also reminds is to "The task at hand then becomes the most important thing we have to do, and we can dedicate ourselves wholeheartedly to it." That was the advice by Saint Josemaria Escriva that the author heard directly, and it is very sound advice for us also. For especially in this digital age it is so easy to be distracted and multitask especially on our electronic devices.

The final quote I highlighted my first time through this books was "And here is the ultimate secret, the key to everything: loving. Love is the highest and most noble human activity, redeeming every moment we consecrate to it. From love stems diligence, love in action, proper to creatures subject to time, who must strive to act within the constraints imposed by our corporeal condition, with its servitude resulting from sin." The greatest of these is love.

This is a little book I know I will be going back to again as a reminder from time to time. It is a great little read and wonderful reminder. I am sure you would benefit from giving it an honest read.

(Note: this books is part of a series: A Year of Reading Intention - Catholic Reading!)