The Good Way

“Stand at the crossroads and look;
    ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
    and you will find rest for your souls.

Jeremiah 6:16

I cleaned (some of) my house today.  I think someone should call the paper!  

All joking aside, I have really been praying about my struggle for organization and focus lately.  After Jason's sermon on Sunday and my post about God maintaining the world, I also went to Scripture to try to search for answers.  I felt directed to the creation story in Genesis, and I was hopeful as I began to read.  I felt a little like Carter, "Just give me a list - tell me what to do."

I did find a list in Genesis, even if it wasn't exactly the kind of list I was looking for.  This list described God's daily activity while setting up the order of the world.  Try as I might, I couldn't connect "Let there be light" with cleaning my bathroom or organizing the pantry, but after meditating on God's creation, I did find wisdom that applies to my issue.  The funny thing is that I have heard this wisdom before.

The thought that struck me this morning, as I was thinking about the creation, was that God did one thing at a time.  Not only did He not try to do too many things at once, He only did one big thing each day.  When He completed each task, He sat back and enjoyed His work.  His tasks were planned out, well ordered, completed, and when He was finished - He rested!

These words were interesting to me, because I have been given the advice to approach my home in this very same way by my dear friend and neighbor, Agnes.  She always says to me, "You can only do one thing at a time."  She also tells me that she plans one project for each day.  She certainly does other things every day, but she always tries to have one special task.  This has always puzzled me, because I feel like I need to cram many things into my days.

My Mom and I were just discussing gardening the other day as we stood and watched while a neighbor plowed up a friend's garden.  We were reminiscing about my grandaddy's garden and how it was that he was able to keep such a large garden weed free.  My mom noted that, while Grandaddy worked full time, he did not have other activities vying for his time and attention.  Gardening was his activity, therefore he was able to give it the attention it needed.  

Today, we are busy with so many things that we feel like we have an attention deficit, when in fact, we actually have a peace deficit.  We try to do too many things at once, and too many things in a day.  We should slow down and look back.  We should talk to the people that remember how to slow down.  We should learn from them and from God.  Then we will not feel rushed, overwhelmed, distracted, and stressed.  Instead, we will feel satisfied, accomplished, and rested!