"I Don't have time to do everything I'm supposed to do."

Hey Everyone!

It has been a little while since I have blogged. Sorry about that. I keep thinking about it and have things I want to say, but life is pretty busy. School is picking up. There is a lot of pressure right now to finish our portfolios. We have interviews in March and we need to be ready for them, which means resume, cover letter, leave behind, online portfolio, portfolio (photography portfolio if applies) and business cards should all be... well, DONE. and Perfectly done. On top of that, I am leaving for Missouri on Friday for a conference for my workstudy position at school. This cuts my time down a lot.

Speaking of time, I recently started paging through the book "The Lies Women Believe, and the Truth That Sets Them Free." My friend Jess borrowed it to me and I had a little time to read last night (while I was avoiding my to do list of homework) and stumbled upon the chapter about busyness. (Here is goes)

In this chapter the author talked about how in our day and age we have up to 50 gadgets that are time saving devices and equipment. So imagine what it was like in the days before microwaves, washing machines, cars, or even worse, no plumbing!? She talked about how we are living in the future and we still seem to think that we have no time to accomplish all that we should accomplish.

"The fact is, we have no more or less time than any other humana being who has ever lived. No one, regardless of his position or responsibilities, has ever had more than 24 hours a day, 168 hours in a week, 52 weeks in a year."

Boom goes the dynamite. Point taken. But then the author goes further. She talks about how Jesus only had 33 years on this earth to 'accomplish the entire plan of redemption." ha. What a to-do list hey?! But, at the end of his life, he lifted his eyes to His Father and said "I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." John 17:4 KJV

I have finished the work which you gave me to do. Not the work that I wanted to finish, not the work my teachers needed me to do for them, not what my mom thinks I should do, not what my dad wishes I did, not what my husband asked of me, not what my friends expected from me, not what my dogs wanted from me, not what society required of me. I have finish the work which YOU, the Lord, gave for me to do. What Your will is for me, I have accomplished, if I am pursuing you.

There are a lot, A LOT, a lot of things I would love to do every day. Homework, work, blog, read, design, read my Bible, pray, hang with God, photograph, eat healthy, work out, walk the dogs, hang out with friends, spend time with my husband, watch movies, play video games, read magazines, talk on the phone, write letters and well... you get the point. A shorter list is of what I think I need to finish everyday.
Did you catch what that last sentence was focused on?
ME ME ME ME ME.

How selfish. I am placed on this earth to point to my mighty, powerful, wonderful savior and make HIM famous. I am not here to accomplish anything for me, for David, for my church, my friends, family, society, coworkers, bosses, my youth kids, dogs, orphans in Haiti, poor in Peru, the polar bears, the bald eagles... you get what I am saying.

Does the Lord call me to do things for these people and things? Yes. I believe He does. Does He ask me to serve all of them, at all times, without stumbling? No. He doesn't. He asks me to trust in Him. He asks me to follow Him. He asks me to be obedient. He does not ask for perfection or busyness. He doesn't enjoy seeing me frazzled and emotionally ready to break down.

He loves me and wants the best for me.

So today, I look at the things on MY to do list... and look at the Lord and ask, "Did I finish what you wanted me to finish today? And Tomorrow, please guide me in what you want me to do for you tomorrow. And forgive me God, for forgetting yesterday that my to do list is actually your to do list. And thank you, Lord, for that forgiveness. A forgiveness you provided before I even asked for it."

Amen.

k~