Starting today with the important

        Goodness gracious, where on earth does the time go?  Seriously.  On about any given day, it seems as if the hours fly by so that by day's end, all too often I've been so preoccupied with the urgent that I've failed to do the important.  Sure, the urgent needs doing (hello laundry and groceries), but not always at the expense of what is most important and spirit-filling in life.
        Yep, it's May--that most beautiful, fragrant, and colorful of months in God's creation...but also one of life's busiest times as well.  Graduations (oh mercy, I need to order graduation presents), exams (stress!), end of year luncheons, parties, and meetings (have I bought thank you gifts or written notes?), finishing up all sorts of projects (stress, part II), not to mention weddings (joyous!--but more things on the to-do list), showers (ditto), and planning for summer (some day I will actually plan ahead of time...when I finally get organized.  Yeah right).  I've left off about 10,000 items, but I'm pretty sure you get the picture, since you live it out as well.  Lots of happiness and fun...but lots and lots of things to go to and to do.
        Hence, my AWOL blog.  I'm just struggling to "find" the time to write.  But, of course, we all know that nobody "finds" the time.  Nope, you have to choose to make the time for what really, really matters.  Make the time--first and foremost--to love, know, and worship Almighty God as well as to love, cherish, and serve your family and friends.  And then you go on from there.
       But in addition, we've got be intentional at carving out some time daily for that which is important and life-infusing.  For yours truly, that means writing...well, and let's not forget eating, walking the dog and savoring the beauty of God's creation.  And did I mention chocolate?  Chocolate qualifies as both urgent and important, and, of course, joy-filling!
       So here I am, once again getting back in the saddle.  Because here's the thing--when you've fallen flat and failed to do and be all that you've hoped and planned, you simply start again.  Start today.  Start now.  Start back writing...or exercising...or reading...or creating...or whatever your particular "thing" is that's important, but that badly needs a reset.     
        For me, that means ignoring the humongous, ginormous pile of laundry that needs folding, even though I can hear those clothes yelling at me all the way from the other room.  But I'm refusing to listen, at least for the next few minutes.  It means putting off the errands that need running--though they will get done eventually--because life as we know it will not end in a flaming inferno even if I fail to drop off that present at a friend's house today or miss picking up more soap and mouthwash until later.  Somehow or other, I think we'll survive.
        Instead, I'll pause for a few minutes to talk to the Lord and then write down whatever He's putting on my heart.  Voila!  Here it is: nothing profound, but it's what my gracious, good Father has been teaching me today.  And I sure don't want to miss His still, small voice nor be disobedient to His call.
      But it all takes intentionality.  And time.  And determination to daily--at least for a few minutes--push aside the busy in favor of the best.
      Nothing like the present day to start, right?  No matter how seemingly small or insignificant, start!  Start small, but start today.  As Anthony Trollope's wrote, "A small daily task, if it be really daily, will beat the labour of a spasmodic Hercules."
     Slow and steady wins the race--so trite, but so true.   Gretchen Rubin writes that "We tend to overestimate how much we can accomplish in an hour or a week, and underestimate how much we can accomplish in a month or a year, by doing just a little bit each day."  Amen!
      So start today, because, after all: "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Ps.118:24)  Thank You, Lord, for this day.  Thank You for fresh starts.  Thank You for the urgent and the important.  And thank You for the gift of time to know, love, worship, and serve You and those You've put in our lives.  We might only have today...but we have today.  Help us to be faithful in all the hours You give us, Lord.
        To God be the glory.