Vortex

Vortex: A state of affairs likened to a whirlpool for violent activity, irresistible force, etc. Something regarded as drawing into its powerful current everything that surrounds it. And other irrelevant definitions.

See-if you read this blog, you get smarter! Carrots make you smarter, too. And chocolate. Well, maybe that's just wishful thinking...

Anyway, My vortex is Life. To help me deal with this vortex, I have Franklin. Franklin and I have regular meetings, in which I challenge myself with prioritized to-do lists, weekly tasks and monthly goals. Franklin is my trusty dayplanner. He's a book, not a person, which makes things easier since I carry him everywhere. Sometimes I ignore him, and then my accomplishments disappear into the endless sands of time. Usually though, I bring him out at lunchtime and we chat for a few minutes. I find slightly crumpled yellow post-it notes in my purse and transfer the information to the ever-increasing lists. Because I don't remember things very well (too much on the brain), we gotta write it all down. :) Franklin keeps me organized and relatively productive....

And yet, sometimes I don't like him. He's so demanding and unyielding. Sometimes he forgets that people are more important that accomplishments. Sometimes he insists that time does not stop for me, and implies that empty time is wasted time. Sometimes he mocks me with the little arrow that must be written beside an unfinished or unstarted task. He's unfeeling when the unexpected visitor drops by. He's ignorant of time needed to build relationships without an agenda. He doesn't understand studying without finishing a book, walking without a destination or taking a nap. Sometimes he becomes my enemy, rather than my servant.

Then again, maybe I'm being a little harsh with my dayplanner. He's just a book after all. Maybe I'm really just fighting the tendencies of my flesh-when it wants to avoid that which the Word commands because these things don't give immediate gratification. You might not consider the little checkmark in a dayplanner as gratification, but I definitely do!

You see, my Dear Little Franklin doesn't give me recognition when I do the "non-negotiables" - things that I should do without planning, in obedience to God, because they're just that important. Things I don't put on the To Do list because the point is time spent, not things accomplished. Like time in prayer and study of the Word. And time with the family. And healthy food, adequate rest, moderate exercise. But Franklin only knows success based on external accomplishments.

Life is crazy. Wisdom is knowing how to use the DLF without losing sight of The Main Thing. Wisdom is planning with the purpose of pleasing God. Wisdom knows that if the non-negotiables are consistently my priority, I am a ready and willing vessel to be used by the Master. With non-negotiables (personal disciplines), the light of Christ can shine clearly through my life.