There are plenty of things on the list about myself that bug me.
...I don't like roller coasters.
...I really can't play sports.
...I don't like peas. (I'll swallow them whole to make a point to my kids.)
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There is one personal character flaw in particular that drives me crazy.
...I will sometimes procrastinate things that are not hard or require very little effort. Seriously, it's not the big things that get me, it's the small stuff.
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By nature I'm pretty organized and on the ball. I love a checklist and structure. However, from time to time I find myself putting off things I need to do. And mind you, they won't be big things either. They are small, sometimes low priority things that start to make me insane.
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For example: (and sadly, this one goes back a LONG time as my parents could verify) I will have a stack of library books that need to be returned. I'll probably think about it several times before the due date but for whatever reason, I just won't take them back on time. Movie rentals are the same way.
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I have a list of people I need to call or things I need to do. I know these won't take long but I put them off. A friend's birthday. The insurance man. My kid's teacher. RSVP for a wedding. Deposit a check. Mail my grandma her camera.
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My list goes on.and.on. ugh! Maybe I'm too selfish with the 15 minutes of time each day that don't involve parenting or working. In any event...
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The latest event that makes me want to scratch my own eyes out involves my Life Group. Several months ago the Foxy Mr. committed me to organizing our quarterly service project. (I think he has since learned his lesson.) As much as I love to organize or plan something, I kind of forgot about it for a few weeks. Then for a couple more weeks I thought about it but never did anything about it. (What is with that?) Finally when I broke down and decided to tackle it because the deadline was drawing dangerously near, schedules and dates didn't come together and the organizations with whom I was speaking couldn't accommodate us. So I blew it big time on that one. (The Heineckes may get voted off the Life Group island...)
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This is one of those character flaws I have to surrender to God. For whatever reason, I lack some self-discipline to get little things done that may not be at the top of priority list. I so desperately want to be a person of my word and follow through on things if I make a committment. (Yes, the library is a commitment. to me.)
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Father, remind me that my word is to be trustworthy and give me the wisdom to make good decisions to follow through on things that may seem trivial.
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Anyone else struggle with putting off small things?
10 comments:
I had a VERY long comment all written out, but it could be summed up with this: yes, I'm the same way. I put off and put off until I have to get into panic mode to accomplish it, and then I get upset when it's not done to the best of my ability. Sigh...when will I learn?
I put off small stuff, too. I have no idea why. I'm undisciplined, I guess.
I do the same thing! I don't even know why. It's usually the little stuff that would only take a few minutes and save me tons of stress. And yet I avoid and procrastinate (did I spell that right?). I need to work on this also.
I do okay with small stuff, it's the big tasks that stress me out and cause me to procrastinate. I think that organizing a service project is a BIG task!
I seriously hate making phone calls. Probably because I know that it isn't an easy thing...turns into full-blown conversations that suck my precious time away. Plus, I just don't enjoy talking on the phone!
I'm pretty sure your LifeGroup will keep you guys...if for no other reason than you're SO funny! I like to surround myself with humor and I bet your group would miss yours if they voted you off! *wink*
It's the small foxes....Thankfully, God is patient and longsuffering with us. And exposes our heart at just the right time for us to have the grace and ability with His power to change. We just have to choose to do it! :) Thanks for the reminder!
too funny. i just my small thing list last night. and i'm almost done.
i have a package of graham crackers i was supposed to mail to my sister in law in england from early september.
they are probably stale by now.
Oh my goodness-- I feel like you've been watching me and wrote this blog about my life-- spoooky.
I really struggle with the small things and am a putter offer about them. Thanks for reminding me that this is something I can pray about. I, too, want to be reliable and a woman of my word.
Thanks!
Don't sweat it....just do it!!!;)
SS
I'm just seriously over-committed and kinda freaked out about it. There is nothing I want to give up tho...my kids need to play hockey, my husband & I need to be teaching Sunday School, our kids need to be going to youth group so we might as well organize the rest of the kids in our little church to bring them too, I want to be volunteering with the non-profit organization that employs my husband, did I mention I work full-time?
So yes, the small stuff just builds and builds. I have a list a mile long!
Last night I sat on the couch, threw up my hands and gave it all to God. If there's something we shouldn't be doing, I asked Him to take it away!!!
You know how we wait til we're at the end of our rope to turn it over to God? Well, my prayer has become, "Lord, get me to the end of my rope quickly!"
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