A key fault I have, and I can only talk about one fault at a time, is the tendency to get busy. I often find myself chasing my own tail. What I will do with it when I catch it is beyond my understanding. However, this notwithstanding, I fall into the trap time after time of getting too busy for my own good.
The faster I try to go; the less I seem to accomplish.
This past week proved no exception; in fact, everything came to a head on Monday. I had my To-Do-List all prioritized and neatly written on several 3 by 5 cards stuffed in my shirt pocket. Earlier I went through them item by item to make sure I could maximize the day. After all, "The early bird catches the worm."
Being the turkey I am, I have no idea what I'm going to do with the worm when I catch it, particularly if it's early in the morning when all I want is a good cup of coffee. Yet, I can often be found imitating that "early bird" scurrying around with my list of important things to do.
Getting back to my Monday catastrophe, and I can't think of another word that adequately describes last Monday. Sure, I've had catastrophes before. But this one was the wicked stepmother of all catastrophes.
After organizing my 3 by 5 cards, I made some mental notes as to how long each job would take. Returning those cards to my shirt pocket, I smiled the smile of one who has conquered his day. I felt good about myself and was anxious to get started on my day.
My day started out rather well. In fact, I discovered by mid-morning I was ahead of schedule. I chuckled to myself and thought, "next time I'll have a longer To-Do-List."
Suddenly, everything came to a screech owl halt.
I needed to pick up something at my office, which would only take a moment. I pulled up to my office door, jumped out of the car and unlocked the office door.
The office door can only be locked from the outside, with a key. The inside has a handicap bar according to the building code. I thought I would save time by unlocking the door and then locking it while I went inside to retrieve the item I needed. This would mean when I came to leave I could walk out, shut the door behind me and it would lock automatically.
This would save me exactly .00003 seconds of time. As time is precious, I thought it worth the effort.
The plan was going fine. Walking past my desk, I laid my keys on top of my desk. About this time I remembered something I needed from the car and dashed out to retrieve it. Just as I got to my car, I heard the door slam shut and one thought meandered through my stunned mind; "the keys."
The keys were exactly where I had left them - on my desk in my office.
My first thought was to panic. So, for about seven minutes I luxuriated in sheer panic.
My second thought was, "how am I going to get inside the building?"
I must confess my second thought drowned out my first. Some may have the luxury of indulging in panic, but I was on a schedule. My To-Do-List was begging to be done that day.
I circled the building three times and then laid down in sheer bewilderment. Not one door was unlocked. Not one window was accessible from the outside. All the effort put into making our building burglarproof was my nightmare in shinning alarm.
I thought of breaking a window but what if someone saw me? Also, I'd have to pay for the damages.
In my mind, I went over everybody who had a key to our church. Everyone I could think of was out of town or working. Even my wife was in Daytona Beach.
Then I had a brilliant thought. I must confess I don't have many but when I do, it brightens up my day. "The builder of the church might have a key." For some odd reason I had my cell phone with me, so I called the builder.
Unfortunately for me, he did not have a spare key to our building. My heart sank into the sole of my right foot because I had no options left.
Then the builder said, "I'll send one of my carpenters over to take a door off and let you in." I did not know that could be done, but I was glad for any help I could get at this point.
Within a few moments, the carpenter showed up. As he got out of his truck, I could see a sly smile smeared all over his puss. I took it like a man; a man locked out of his own office.
He spent about an hour taking the door off its hinges. Just as he finished my cell phone rang. A lady from the church with a spare church key was five minutes away.
I never told the carpenter about the last minute key because he worked so hard taking the door off and then putting it back on again.
Only one key in life really matters and that is Jesus, who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6 KJV.)
He is the only key that opens the door to heaven and I can never lose him.
Reverend Snyder is currently ministering at the "Family of God Fellowship" in Ocala, Florida. More of his articles are available for reprint at his website: http://www.godspenman.com/ Rev. Snyder is available as a guest speaker. He writes a weekly column and is the author of "You Can Always Tell a Pastor; But Not Very Much " available at: http://www.jamessnyderministries.com/
Do what you love to do and give it your... Read More
In the streets of Bogotá, a child - named Simon*... Read More
At a recent seminar we were asked to imagine if... Read More
Think of an adventure that you might like to take.... Read More
What is passion? Recently after a presentation, I was once... Read More
The grey sky of morning contained an ominous quality. The... Read More
Are you a procrastinating perfectionist? I once read an article... Read More
Every four years the world is given the gift of... Read More
Below are some of the things that, over the years,... Read More
This week is Part Four of our five part series... Read More
Have you come to a point in your life and... Read More
When in 1996 a local Secondary School opened, the staff... Read More
When we look at lives in any places in this... Read More
Hello Creative Entrepreneurs!The moral of that story is to follow... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of June 30,... Read More
(excerpted from Leading an Inspired Life)Pity the man who has... Read More
"Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of January 12,... Read More
Financial freedom is not about having enough money to spend... Read More
"In real love you want the other person's good. In... Read More
What are you passionate about? We didn't ask if you... Read More
A key fault I have, and I can only talk... Read More
There once was a happy monkey wandering the jungle, eating... Read More
As there are silent depths in the ocean, which the... Read More
I'm leaving on a TV tour in a few weeks.... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 9,... Read More
When you were a child, or maybe even when you... Read More
There is a Chinese proverb that says, "A journey of... Read More
It's easy to tell the difference between true inner guidance... Read More
I decreed my 'twin' into my life in early 1990.... Read More
My mother often wound up in the hospital during the... Read More
What are the odds of someone doing extraordinary things if... Read More
Growing up, I remember my Dad had some really good... Read More
Sacred space, sacred timeBelieve in your personal power, retrieve if... Read More
Each day brings a new beginning. It's a new leaf... Read More
Soaring 700 feet above the forest floor is a granite... Read More
Here are some thoughts for finding and experiencing joy in... Read More
Anything that draws one away from the business of living... Read More
Purpose. What is purpose? Drinking coffee when you wake up... Read More
Right now many people are facing tough times. Life as... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of April 26,... Read More
"More than any other time in history, mankind face a... Read More
It is hard to capture the synchronicity of this next... Read More
Human mind which is well known as a fluctuating prodigy... Read More
I have always rather envied those people who have a... Read More
There is a reason I never gave up. A reason... Read More
In Corrogue I count my Blessings.These are numerous. There is... Read More
The eyes are the portals of the inner self; the... Read More
I believe that it is an amazing time in our... Read More
(excerpted from Leading an Inspired Life)Pity the man who has... Read More
Inspirational Inspirational |