Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life? 2 Peter 3:11 The MSGMy random reflections for the past couple of months have been consistently about how well I've been spending the precious days given to me as a gift. As I look back to the year that is about to end, I see a lot of big highlights brought about by grace... events that consumed a lot of pages in my journals. But as I have experienced these transitions and summits, I am becoming more aware of the things that I want to really do! Yet when I look at the days, even its hours, I see myself doing something not aligned with my heart's passions.
Everyday, we have a list of to-dos and I propose they belong to just 2 categories-- the GET-TOs and the HAVE-TOs. The questions is which list is winning your precious time?
The GET-TO-DO list consist of things you would do if time and money were a problem. I don't know what's in yours but in mine, I have:
- Be an instrument for my family to experience life! I want to bring my parents to places, see many things before a ripe rage makes them unable to do such.
- Have my eyes to see different places and have my heart indulge in many quiet times from these unfamiliar locations.
- Experience different people. I have nothing against Filipinos but my heart just really gets excited to have an exploit of different cultures!
- Accomplish little things in my perspective that will impact the lives I'm doing them with! Probably give as many as I can!
- Spend intimate and treasured dates with friends to share lives!
- Have at least one hour of personal time everyday in a coffee-shop setting where I can just journal, reflect and get my inspirations and corrections from God's Word.
- Just say YES to God whenever He asks me to do something without even thinking of TIME and FINANCES.
But the reality is I'm limited by my time and finances and so I'm stuck everyday with this list:
The HAVE-TO-DO list
- Wake up, share some whispers with God if I still have time but usually I would rush to work.
- 8am-5pm (sometimes even far beyond) of communications, planning, executions as my job requires.
- I got little left for the day and I already feel tired so when I get home I would just browse and sleep.
- During the weekends, I would have to sacrifice my rest day if a deadline is ahead the following week.
- Or even if I'm free on the weekends, I don't have the resources to just take off and be somewhere else.
Just a disclaimer though... It's not like the Get-to is the good list and the Have-to is he bad one. I meant far from that. This is a balance between two GOOD things especially if you know that your heart's desires (Get-tos) and your current responsibilities (Have-tos) are conceived by your relationship with God, and not because of your selfish desires and self-efforts. For some people, these two lists are reconciled because they were blessed with the means. But for most of us, the lists don't have the same items.
And don't get me wrong, I love what I'm doing at work. I consider it as God's extravagant grace to me that I'm in the position I'm in. I love the challenges and being a contributor to overcome the challenges. I love the people I'm working with directly. I love learning from my boss and being molded into an experienced professional. I love the opportunities it brings me. I'm grateful for my work. But at the end of the day, when it's the end of my life already, I will not say at my deathbed
...I remember those deals I've closed
...I'm proud the 3-digit growth we had in FY15
...I wish I could go back to the time we had that executive meeting
...I'm glad I was able to submit that requirement on deadline
But what I want to reminisce are
...I remember going to Santorini with my Mama, Papa and brother
...I'm proud of the person I shared life in Africa/South America (or wherever) who _____ (fill in the blanks)
...I wish I could go back to the time me and my girlfriends experienced the jungles of Arizona
...I'm glad I was able to GO when God called me to that place... (No idea yet what place though)
See what I'm meaning? All the more that these thoughts are kindled as I read 2 Peter 3:11 from The Message version... Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life?
I realize that my time here on earth is temporary and that I got to make the most of it before I go to heaven, my permanent home (that confidence rests in God's grace). That calls for some house-cleaning... getting / limiting off my everyday list activities that are not important nor urgent. What's on top of my head is social media and extended work hours. And do something in faith that will align with attaining my Get-to list. :)
So when you work, make sure it's something that you love to do! That even if your dear life gets its period tomorrow, you will not regret that you spent your today doing something not worth it.
Author: Jonai
Setting: November 2, 2014 1715H on the yellow-lit couch of Starbucks Dona Soledad while the Spotify playlist "Sunday Easy Listening is Playing.
Credits to God for the inspiration
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