I used to smile at my father-in-law’s lists.  It seemed that for every planned activity he engaged in, he made a list and when he died and we came to clear out his house we were greeted with large numbers of miscellaneous lists ranging from mundane ordinary day-to-day activities to important lists of material that he was currently working on (he was an archaeologist).  He was meticulously organised, and me, I just smiled. Who needed lists? 

There was nothing wrong with my memory and I did not need to be reminded of priorities that were perfectly obvious anyway.  

Now I am ‘retired’ I have had to revise my somewhat cynical opinions on list-makers.  I have found that I have joined their number. I admit it.  I need lists.

When you have a job that requires you to keep hours, appointments and has regular tasks you probably don’t need lists unless there is something unexpected or out of the ordinary that is going to change your routine. But now I find that I have no regular, well-defined routine. Most days have nothing particular scheduled and the day’s ‘diary’ is blank as it were.  And I have found a non-too-subtle tendency to end up at the end of the day saying, “What have I really done, today?”  

And I remember the time that I have spent that day achieving … well … nothing in particular.  Not that I feel I always have to achieve something, but I have found there is a tendency, if there is not a clearly defined task or objective to simply waste time and finish the day thinking, “Well, what have I achieved today?”

I am not a particularly “driven” person, but I do hope that I am at least  purposeful one. Living life aimlessly finds me getting frustrated and discouraged, and asking myself “what’s the point?”  I want to do more than “measure out my life with coffee spoons”, in T.S. Eliot’s memorable phrase.

These last few weeks have certainly faced me up with some challenges. 

 

“Teach us to realise the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom”, (NLT) the psalmist tells us.

I need to ask for wisdom as to how to use the time and resources that I have been given.  I may not need a list (though that might just help to keep me focussed), but I do need to ask God what is the best use of my time.  There are just so many things to do …

Now, I’ll just go and make a list …