From the Rector…
The first thing I do when I get to the office is write down four things I want to accomplish that day. This practice helps me slow down, prioritize, and structure my day. No matter what else does or does not get accomplished, these four things get done before I leave in the afternoon.
I started this practice years ago, before I ever became a priest. I would walk into the office and immediately get pulled into a conversation or asked to take on another project and find myself distracted from my work. Or I would be in one of those moods where you really don’t want to do anything, and every aspect of the job seems like sludging through mud, and I would sit at my desk avoiding my work. Whether it was avoidance, feeling overwhelmed, or distraction, I knew something needed to change.
I was paid to do a job, not ignore it or pout about it. So, I started writing down four things I could—and needed—to accomplish each day. And it worked. Just having a list seemed to get me more focused on the days I felt distracted and more motivated on the days I didn’t really want to be there. Almost thirty years later, I continue the practice of writing down four things to accomplish; three seems too few and five is too many.
I wonder if God organized creation that way. There was obviously some structure—light and darkness, water and land, animals and humans—and it seems to have worked pretty well. God knew what needed to be done each day, and when the work was finished, God pronounced it good. And then God rested.
If my daily plan is missing anything, it would be that moment at the end of the day when I look back over what I have accomplished and pronounce it good. It seems like such a little thing, and yet, it is something I so often ignore. Taking a moment to remember what has been done in a day can buoy a sense of accomplishment, purpose, and satisfaction. Making this a daily practice leads to a greater sense of gratitude and joy. We begin to appreciate our efforts and see where we are contributing to something bigger than ourselves. When we don’t take that moment to remember all that we have done and recognize it as good, we miss one of God’s greatest gifts to us—the reminder that our lives and our work are interconnected.
The story of Creation reminds us that the world is good because God created it. When we are distracted, overwhelmed, and unappreciative, we don’t feel good about life, whether at home, at work, or wherever we find ourselves. A little structure and order can go a long way in helping us feel more positively about life by developing the practices of discipleship. Reflecting on the work we do makes that discipleship meaningful and strengthens our partnership with God and one another in doing the work of building up God’s kingdom.
We live in a world with too many choices, demands, and expectations placed upon us. Survival might mean simply making it to the next day, but to truly live, we must discover what is important to us and how we will accomplish it. Only then can we reflect upon it and know that it is good.
Light and Life,
Candice+