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When Good Things Crowd Out Other Good Things · Travel With A Purpose

• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: Hello, hello, SwowJarners.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Dave Light, and welcome to Travel with a Purpose, a podcast designed to keep Swurz and friends informed, entertained, and inspired.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: Recently I was faced with one of those hectic days we all experience now and then.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: And ironically, it was a Monday.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, a lot of people dread Mondays because of having to return to work.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I'm retired, so Mondays don't necessarily mean I have to get up and go to work.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: But it was one of those Mondays.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: My wife and I were dealing with a refrigerator that needed to be replaced.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: Everything had to be moved into our spare refrigerator before the replacement arrived.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: I was also preparing for a seminar I was going to present later in the week about family caregiving.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: Among all that, I'm preparing to start a children's ministry.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: So there are plans to make, people to contact, and several other responsibilities demanding my attention.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: Mondays are also important to me because I usually spend my mornings as a volunteer at our local cancer center.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_00: That not only takes time, it also pulls on my emotional energy.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not complaining.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_00: I just know there is a cost to that wonderful activity.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: You also have a busy life with a lot of priorities, things worthy of our attention that make us feel like the old saying of drinking from a fire hydrant.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: Every one of our activities are worthwhile.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: Each have a legitimate claim on our time.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: Yet when we're giving attention to all those good things, sometimes other good things quietly slip from view.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: Well, on top of that, I also needed to prepare for a podcast recording, and as I look through my notes and try to remember what I had planned to record, a thought occurred to me.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: Perhaps the podcast I needed to prepare had just given me the topic I needed.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes we become so busy doing good things that we overlook other things that are equally important.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_00: We often think of distractions as activities that have little value.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: We imagine wasting time watching television, scrolling through social media, or maybe playing one more round of that game on our device, or becoming absorbed in something that can easily wait.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_00: Those kinds of distractions certainly exist, but some of our greatest struggles with priorities come from having too many worthwhile things, or preferred things that demand our attention at the same time.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_00: We want to care for our families.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: We want to keep our commitments, we want to serve others, we want to meet deadlines, maintain our homes, encourage our friends, participate in our congregations, and take care of our own physical, emotional, and spiritual well being.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: I just get tired thinking about it.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_00: Each responsibility has value.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: The challenge comes when they all seem to need us all at the same time.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_00: Many of us know what that feels like.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_00: We wake up with a clear plan for the day.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: Then the telephone demands attention.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: Someone needs our help.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_00: An appointment runs longer than expected.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: Traffic gets jammed up.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: A household problem develops.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_00: An email arrives requiring a quick response.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: And by the end of the day, we have been busy every moment, yet the task we intended to complete remains unfinished.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: We may then look back and wonder where did my day go?
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: The day went into caring for responsibilities that appeared along the way.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_00: Some truly required our immediate attention.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: Others simply arrived with a sense of urgency.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: Learning to recognize the difference is an important part of managing our lives.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: Something can feel urgent without being the most important matter before us.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: The telephone demands an immediate response, but the person sitting across the table may need our attention more.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_00: A new email moves to the top of our screen, but the work we planned may still carry greater long term value.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_00: Small problem may call loudly while an important relationship waits quietly.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: Urgent matters tend to announce themselves.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_00: Important matters often depend upon us to remember them.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_00: That is why balance requires more than responding to whatever calls the loudest.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: Balance does not mean giving every responsibility the same amount of time.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_00: Our responsibilities are different, and their needs change.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: A family member facing an illness may require much more of our attention.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: A deadline may call for several concentrated hours.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_00: A day of travel may leave little room for our regular routine.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: Balance means giving each responsibility the attention appropriate to its importance and timing.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_00: Some days will lean heavily toward family.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_00: Other days will require greater attention to work, our ministry areas, health, or even rest.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_00: And over time we seek a healthy rhythm in which the important parts of life continue to receive care.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_00: Balance is less like standing perfectly still and more like making small adjustments while walking.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: We lean one way and then the other.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_00: We slow down where the path becomes difficult.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: We stop when rest is needed, and then we continue moving forward.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_00: So how can we separate our activities and decide what deserves our attention?
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: Well, interestingly, we can begin by pausing.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_00: When life becomes crowded, our instinct is often to move faster.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: We try to carry several responsibilities at once while our minds jump from one unfinished task to another.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_00: We may begin one job, remember something else, and move to that task, and then discover a third thing that seems to be pressing in on us.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_00: And before long, we have several things started and very little completed.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: So a brief pause may feel unproductive, but it can be one of the most productive choices we make.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_00: Psalm ninety verse twelve says so teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: Numbering our days includes recognizing that our time and energy are limited.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_00: Every day gives us twenty four hours, and within those hours we need time to work, eat, sleep, care for people, meet responsibilities, and restore our strength.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_00: Wisdom helps us use that time according to what matters most.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_00: Pausing gives us an opportunity to ask, what's going on here?
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_00: What truly requires my attention?
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_00: What can wait?
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_00: What am I in danger of overlooking?
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_00: And after pausing, we can separate our responsibilities into a few simple groups.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_00: The first group contains what must be done today.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_00: These are responsibilities involving health, safety, people depending on us, or a genuine deadline.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_00: A leaking appliance, a medical appointment, medication that must be taken, a bill that is due, or a promise someone had planned around us may belong in this group.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_00: Even within this group, it helps to decide what comes first.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: If three things must be done today, we can choose an order of activities.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_00: Instead of trying to carry all three in our thoughts at once, completing one responsibility creates space to move to the next.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_00: The second group contains what is important and needs to be scheduled.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_00: These responsibilities have lasting value, even though they may lack an immediate deadline preparing a lesson, writing, exercising, visiting someone, maintaining friendships, spending time with family, praying, and resting often belong here.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_00: These are activities most vulnerable to being crowded out because they rarely demand our attention.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_00: They wait quietly, yet when we neglect them repeatedly, we eventually feel the effects.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_00: Relationships grow through time and attention.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_00: Health is supported through consistent care.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_00: Lessons and presentations improve through thoughtful preparation.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_00: Our spiritual lives deepen through prayer, reflection, and time in God's Word.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_00: Rest renews our strength for the responsibilities ahead.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_00: Important activities deserve a place on our schedules rather than merely receiving whatever time remains.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_00: If something matters, we can decide when we'll give it attention.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: The third group contains things that would be helpful but can wait.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_00: These have value, yet moving them to another time creates fewer consequences.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: A drawer can remain unorganized.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: A minor project can wait until next week.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_00: An idea can be written down and revisited later.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_00: Many of us place pressure on ourselves because we treat every worthwhile idea as a present obligation.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_00: An idea can be good and still belong to another time.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_00: Writing it down preserves it.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_00: Scheduling it gives it a future home.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_00: We can then return our attention to today.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_00: The fourth group contains responsibilities someone else can help us carry.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_00: Asking for help demonstrates wisdom.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_00: Families, congregations, friendships, and communities give us opportunities to share burdens.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_00: Another person may possess the time, ability, or experience needed to complete part of what is before us.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_00: We can ask, does this responsibility require me personally, or does it simply need to be completed?
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_00: That question can make a tremendous difference.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_00: Some responsibilities depend upon our personal involvement.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_00: Others can be shared.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_00: Allowing someone to help also gives that person an opportunity to serve, to contribute, and to become part of something meaningful.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_00: So after separating our activities, we can ask a more personal question.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_00: What needs my attention right now?
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_00: The answer may involve a task, but sometimes it involves another person.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_00: A project may feel urgent while someone we love needs a few minutes of our presence.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_00: An unchecked item may remain on our list while a friend needs encouragement.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_00: A caregiver may need a quiet conversation more than another piece of advice.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: A child may need us to listen to a story that seems small to us, but feels very important to that child.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_00: Productivity matters, but people are more important than interruptions to our schedule.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_00: In Luke chapter ten, we see Jesus visiting with Martha and Mary.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_00: Martha was busy serving.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_00: Her work had purpose and value.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_00: Hospitality required preparation.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_00: She wanted to care for Jesus and those who had entered her home.
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_00: Yet Martha had become distracted with much serving.
• 13:07
  SPEAKER_00: She was anxious and troubled about many things.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_00: But Mary recognized she required giving her attention to Jesus.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_00: When Martha spoke to Jesus about Mary, he responded to her with tenderness.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_00: He called her by name Martha, Martha.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_00: Those words sound less like a harsh correction and more like an invitation to breathe.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_00: Step back and see the moment clearly.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_00: That event speaks gently to those of us carrying many responsibilities.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_00: Our service can be valuable while our hearts become overwhelmed by everything surrounding it.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_00: We can become so focused on completing the work that we lose sight of the purpose behind the work.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_00: The question becomes, what is this moment asking of me?
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_00: There are moments for serving and moments for sitting.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_00: There are moments for speaking and moments for listening.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_00: And there are moments for completing the task and moments for placing the task aside so we can care for the person in front of us.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_00: Good priorities help us recognize those moments.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_00: We can also learn to leave some margin in our life.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_00: Margin is the space between everything we have planned and the full limits of our time and energy.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_00: When every hour is committed and every ounce of energy is already promised, even a small interruption can throw the entire day into confusion.
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_00: A delayed appointment, an unexpected visitor, or a household repair has nowhere to fit.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_00: A little margin gives us room to respond.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_00: Margin may mean allowing more travel time between appointments.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_00: It may mean planning three primary tasks instead of ten.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_00: It may mean leaving part of the day available for the unexpected.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_00: It may mean recognizing that our energy has limits even when our list continues to grow.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_00: Prioritizing one responsibility also means allowing another responsibility to wait.
• 15:26
  SPEAKER_00: That is often where guilt enters the picture.
• 15:30
  SPEAKER_00: We may feel that if we cannot complete everything, we have disappointed someone.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_00: Healthy priorities require honest limits.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_00: We can say this matters, and I will give it attention at the proper time.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_00: Writing it down, placing it on the calendar, or setting a reminder helps us release it temporarily while keeping it visible.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_00: We can also communicate with people affected by the delay.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_00: A simple message saying, I have this on my list and I plan to address it tomorrow.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_00: That can relieve uncertainty for everyone involved.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_00: Clear communication prevents a delayed task from becoming a damaged relationship.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_00: At the beginning of a busy day, we might identify three things.
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_00: What is one responsibility that must be completed?
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_00: Who is one person who needs my attention?
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_00: And what is one activity that will help restore my strength?
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_00: That simple practice helps us care for our obligations, our relationships, and ourselves.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_00: It also keeps the day from being defined entirely by whichever demand arrives next.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_00: At the end of the day, we can take another brief pause.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_00: We can acknowledge what was accomplished, move unfinished responsibilities to an appropriate time, and express gratitude for the good we were able to do.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_00: There will still be days when something slips through the cracks.
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_00: When that happens, we can acknowledge it, make necessary adjustments, and begin again.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_00: An overlooked responsibility can become an invitation to review our priorities and restore some balance.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes the things we overlook become the very thing that teaches us what we needed to learn.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_00: Perhaps your life feels crowded right now.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_00: You may be caring for someone or facing a deadline, managing changes in your family, preparing for an event, trying to meet several worthwhile commitments.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_00: Give yourself a moment to breathe.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_00: Separate what must be done today from what needs to be scheduled.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_00: Decide what can wait, consider where someone else can help, and leave room for the unexpected and remember to care for the strength from which you serve.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_00: Then ask, what needs my attention most right now?
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_00: You may still have a full day, but you will have a clear pathway through it.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_00: When good things begin crowding out other good things, pause, seek wisdom, and give your attention to what this moment truly requires.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening to this podcast.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_00: I invite you to subscribe and share it with others.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Dave Leighton, and remember we glorify God as together we travel with a purpose.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_00: Happy sojourning.