"The Moment I Wake Up..."
There is a strong temptation to say "oh no," pushed by thoughts of new things to be done, things left undone the day before, people to talk with, chores to do/delegate/dodge…all in rapid-fire succession, faster than still-sleepy fingers can write them down in a PDA using a stylus, and much more than a 2-square-inch space in a pocket planner can accommodate.
Yet it’s precisely the best moment to pause and ponder.
Trade the rapid-fire succession for a lovely procession. Set down the stylus or plop the planner somewhere (for the moment). Breathe. (Or pray if that’s already a habit for you.)
And then think: GOD, among those of us who tucked in at approximately the same time last night, how many others didn’t wake up at this time—and will not wake up at any other time on earth?
Thanking God for the fresh chance, move on to the next level: Okay, Lord, of all the things screaming, threatening, pleading for my attention, all the big and small tasks that seem likely to either drown or drain me today, which of these are really (really now):
... simultaneously so urgent and important, that it can’t possibly be done at a later date, without posing life-and-death risk, or representing a broken commitment to, or laying an unfair burden on someone?
...absolutely dependent on me because I’m the one most rightfully positioned or best equipped or most clearly accountable to do it?
Consider these two questions as small, simple candles that throw light into a dark room, revealing monsters for the imaginary creatures they are, and cutting seemingly infinite black holes to size till they resemble, more clearly, nondescript shadows in a very real world limited to 24 hours per day.
In the light of these candles, list only the things you MUST and CAN handle. With only one body (yours). With the time you have at hand—computed at the rate of "24 hours less sleeping time, meals, and other requisites for physical sustenance and sanity preservation".
Done? Good.
The day awaits.
"The Lord's love never ends; his mercies never stop. They are new every morning..." Lamentations 3:22, 23 (NCV)
