Lately, I’ve been hammered with messages about living life each day.
“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing. A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days. It is a scaffolding on which a worker can stand and labor with both hands at sections of time. A schedule is a mock-up of reason and order—willed, faked, and so brought into being; it is a peace and a haven set into the wreck of time; it is a lifeboat on which you find yourself, decades later, still living.” Annie Dillard
Frances Chan suggests we ask God what His purpose is for us each day and be obedient to follow that path.
Our youth pastor. Bobby Howell, tells us to seek God’s will for our life each day.
I could write for days about all the times I’ve missed the mark and wasted minutes, hours, days, weeks – heck, entire seasons of my life doing what I felt like doing. Don’t get me wrong. Sometimes what I feel like doing is good stuff; even purpose-driven, meaningful stuff. But more often, I spend my time doing things that do not lead to the best use of my time.
Let’s face it. We all have a finite amount of time on this Earth. And, we all have obligations if not life-demanding tasks we have no control over. (Some just have to battle every moment to survive in a harsh environment.)
But many of us have a choice in what we do moment to moment. Do I sleep in or get up early and start chasing a deadline? Should I stay up late and watch Godfather III or get more than six hours and nine minutes of sleep (as per my Fitbit)? Should I cook dinner for my family or hit the gym and eat leftovers? Should I read the latest thriller or a self-help nonfiction book?
As I’ve thought on these opportunities to mindfully live each day looking toward the things I wish to accomplish, I was inspired to place a note block on my bathroom counter with a scribbled heading in Sharpie marker: The One Thing
I am writing just one thing in the morning or sometimes the night before — that one accomplishment I could complete that is meaningful and will forward my life progress. It could be the first draft of a nonfiction article, taking my Gracie to the vet or scheduling my photo shoot appointments for the month. So far this week, I’ve completed each task. It doesn’t matter how much time or resources it takes to complete the task. It just needs to be the one thing that makes me feel like I have had an intentional, non-wasted day.
I don’t necessarily give these tasks a lot of deep thought or planning. I’ve only done this for a few days, but the One Thing has so far come immediately to mind and always seems right when I put it on the list. And, I am 100% so far in completing each one.
Are there deeper ways I could be handling this aspect of life? Of course, but I’m doing something. I have goals with my writing and photography, my family and my home that are big concepts but can be achieved one day and one step at a time.
It helps that I have always been a list maker. You should see me when I am having a party. I make a list of things to do, things to buy, things to make, ad naseum. And those separate lists will be revised every few days and eventually become one list of about 20 things to be done the day of. It may seem neurotic to some, but it works for me. Last Thanksgiving, my mother walked into my kitchen and saw the sticky notes marking the placement of each dish I made or others were to bring and said, “Girl, you are just like your dad.” I loved that.
So make your lists. Make your plans. Think intentionally about what needs to be done and choose that one thing that would make you feel like your day has not been wasted. And do it.
