Interruptions

Dear friends:

The last few weeks have been a challenge to me. 8 people living under
one roof. 3 generations-all with different priorities.

First let me share a story from my childhood. While I was in school,
I took a psychology class. The teacher of that class, recognized that
I was pretty outspoken about things early on. Even though I was a
"liberal" in my thinking at that age, I was very opinionated about
the daffiness of a lot of the psych books. While I took great
pleasure in the unraveling of someone's psychosis, the concept of
"playing chess" in one's mind to get a drink, often seemed ludicrous.
Despite that I had my mind set on gong to school to be a
psychiatrist. And Miss A always saw me as a challenge.

One day we were doing one of our comparative studies. One group would
do things one way and another group another way and compare the
results. So, this day, myself and one of the more competitive girls
in the class were asked to step outside the door. She was called in
first. And a short while later, I was as well. It was explained to me
that I was to perform a set of tasks. I was seated at a desk and Miss
A dropped a bunch of pencils on the desk and told "put them all the
same way." I began and in moments she yelled "STOP!" She cleared the
surface and put rubber bands on the desk. "Count them." I began.
"STOP!" A little puzzle was placed before me. As I began to put the
pieces together, "STOP!" A piece of paper. "Write the alphabet."
Scribbling. "STOP!" I could not take it. I jumped out of the chair
sending it flying across the room, shouting "Are you ___ crazy?" And
stormed out of the room to cool out. Now granted, in those days I had
my share of difficulties. I went to school high. My parents were in
pre-divorce mode. I had left a prestigious prep school for here.

But the exercise was the story of my life. So often as a child, I
faced interruptions. I am a task person. I like crossing off the
duties or tasks on my list each day. Nothing frustrates me much more,
than feeling incomplete. Why do I tell you all this? (Because I need
a really good task planning software! See below!*) Because the last
few weeks has been like that. I will be spending time on a project
and encounter and interruption. I haven't kicked over the desk yet,
but have considered it. :-D When one of my grand children comes to
me, I want to be there for them. Same with the children. My wife.
But...I am not getting anything done. Add in the average 50-100
emails I send a day. The 30 plus calls daily. And I feel like I have no time.

Yesterday, I put together stuff for an event coming up. Press
releases, contacts, etc. I see that I got 90% of my daily goals done.
BUT! I didn't get to start a fresh page for today. (Add a result
meter to that software ;-))

So, I began to think if interruptions were Godly or demonic.
Initially, I felt they were all works of the devil. As I pondered as
I was cleaning out a 40' trailer, planning for a yard sale, prepping
for my birthday, planning a move of my friends, selling a bike,
freighting a bike, getting another bike, trucking family around, I
concluded...it wasn't. So, now I had to deal with the fact that a few
of the interruptions might have some basis in God. 2 Kings has an
interruption in it. Kings are killing each other. Killing their own
children, even. And in the middle of death...life. A Shunammite woman
appears with her son. I recognize as the world propagates, death, we
must bring life.

I begin practical preparations for the interruptions and how to avoid
some of them. On the other hand I must prepare myself for the life
giving situations the Lord metes out. In some respects, I feel like
David speaking to his warrior and friend, saying, "No. Don't kill
him. He may have a message for me."

And if I have interrupted your day...

Blessings,
Lee

*You know. One with a calendar, a task list, a to do list and I want
to combine my personal life with my business life and my spiritual
life. A holistic software. And I would spend $200 for it. Nothing out
there meets those criteria. They are all subject to Western thinking.
Software for business. Another software for spiritual planning.
Another for personal. Can't stand it I figured out that because my
concept of organization is more Eastern, I am dysfunctional in our
Western culture.