The Tyranny of "But, I Can Just Get A Little More Done"

     We have all said it, "But, I can just get a little more done."  We've said it to the neglect of our lunch, restroom break, fitness, family and our faith.  It happens in those times of crisis where we feel stuck between the choice of accomplishing one more task on the never-ending "to do" list or completing a life-time task on the "must be" list.  I am one of those folks with an insatiable appetite for excellence in everything that I do.  I am also one of those that can easily stay fueled on adrenaline and passion; instead of water and a hearty lunch.  This year has been especially challenging with an ever-climbing list of responsibilities and commitments.  I do not think there is a secret "sauce" to getting it all done; but I do think there is a disciplined practice to assessing the true value of things by God's standards and not our own self-critique or others' expectations.
     It's simple and we have heard it time and again; yet it's those daily crisis of accomplishment or the seeming lack thereof that truly reveals what we believe about how we value our life. As Ecclesiastes puts it, the things in our lives pass away so quickly; especially the people and things that are most important.  I often talk to students about taking advantage of the blessings they have and today (and everyday) I must remind myself to do the same thing. To take advantage and live in the fullness of God's everyday blessings.  Instead of anxiously bombarding my spirit with the guilt of the "not finished" I must consciously replay the moment-by-moment blessings.  This blog post is not some new insight on how to live life, or be more organized, or accomplishing more; but it is a post about becoming more prosperous in the blessings that matter most in a conscientious way.  So right now, instead of finishing those remaining five documents that can wait until tomorrow; I'm going to go ahead and get my cardio in, eat dinner with my mom, get in the Word, and call it a night because I will accurately assess the value of what's most important in my life by not submitting to the tyranny of "I can just get a little more done."