The simple to-do list

Monday morning began my new "no rhythm" life : ).  I like rhythm.  You might prefer to call it routine, but I like to think of it as rhythm - that sounds less boring!  I don't mind a few surprises now and then, but I like to know what my day is gonna look like before I get out of bed.  Both my days and my weeks have a general rhythm to them and I'm happy that way : ).  But Monday morning, my rhythm got ripped out and thrown in the dumpster along with my kitchen : / .

Of course, since I'm such a good floater by now, I just started going with the flow : ).  Yeah, right!  The truth is that I had a near drowning experience before it all got started!!!  (More on that another day!)  But on that very same day, the reading in "Jesus Calling" was just what I needed to hear:

"Talk with Me about every aspect of your day.  Remember that your ultimate goal is not to control or fix everything around you (are you sure?!?!); it is to keep communing with Me.  A successful day is one in which you have stayed in touch with Me, even if many things remain undone at the end of the day.  Do not let your to-do list become an idol directing your life."

I have definitely been pretty focused on my to-do list lately.  It's been a long time since I had this many things on the list - and no routine to help me get them accomplished.  So I bookmarked the reading for that day and have gone through it every morning since then.  Just yesterday as I was reading it again, I noticed the verse that she had at the bottom - I Thess. 5:17 - one of my favorites:

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances - for this is the will of God for you."

I have read that SO many times - in fact I spoke on it at retreat a couple years ago : ).  But this time something new struck me.  I realized - hey, those are my marching orders!  That's what my to-do list is supposed to look like every day!  Because He says clearly that that's God's will for me.  So it turns out that I do know what my day's supposed to look like before I get up : ).  Only three things to do - be joyful, be prayerful, be thankful.  Simple, right : )?!