I love spreadsheets! Yes, I know many of my right-brained readers including my beautiful daughter, the graphic designer, are probably saying “This woman is crazy!” But the fact is, this left-brained girl truly does have a good reason to love spreadsheets. So please, even you creative types who cringe at the very image of an Excel worksheet, humor me and hear me out on this.
A spreadsheet is one of the best ways I know to “download” all the junk that is in my brain so I don’t have to worry about it anymore. All the “don’t forgets” are dumped into a nice neat list where I can decide what’s really important and what’s not, what has to be done and when, and then… forget it. There is such freedom in that! And come on, even you “right-brainers” have to admit there is something really satisfying about seeing all those little check marks (or big black lines if you prefer really strong visual impact) ticking off the completed tasks one by one. Somehow it makes the feeling of accomplishment that much sweeter when I can SEE the work getting done.
But I have to admit, as much as keeping my work prioritized and “under control” is a natural part of how God wired me, sometimes just seeing those ten, twenty, or even thirty tasks all in one place simply overwhelms me. On occasion, as I try to prioritize my lists, I can feel my blood pressure going up and I get exhausted ~ even a bit defeated ~ simply looking at all that work! I had that overwhelmed feeling just this morning as I wrote in my journal after making my “to-do” list for the week. Here is part of what I prayed:
“Lord, is this plan OK? You know God, the trouble is when I write a list like this I always think of at least ten more things I want to add to the plan. Then I get overwhelmed, and even though I may accomplish everything on the list, I feel like I’ve failed because the list just keeps changing and growing. Oh God, take my days. Help me to rest in You and simply find peace and joy in doing what You give me to do THIS day.”
Selah
That’s the Bible’s term for “Think about that.” What if we truly could find peace and joy in doing what God gives us to do THIS day. That sounds a lot like taking each day, one at a time, and giving it back to the God who gave it to us in the first place. For list makers like me that’s not such an easy concept. We fight back saying something like this:
“But God, what about the plan? Don’t you remember? I am a project manager ~ if I could I would manage my entire life and the lives of everyone around me in Microsoft Project or at the very least ~ in Excel. No? That doesn’t leave any room for You to guide the plan? You mean You want to be in control? But how will I ever get to the end of my list? Oh… You want to 
make the list? Your plan was written for me since before I was born? OK, then what do you want me to do? Say yes. That’s it? Just say yes, today? That doesn’t sound so hard, if I could just let go of control…”
Let go of control. Now that’s a foreign concept isn’t it? Especially for those of us who live in a land of lists, projects, and spreadsheets. But my guess is, letting go of control is even hard for you right-brained creative types who don’t like any plans ~ yours, mine or God’s. The good news is God knows exactly how He wired us. He doesn’t want us to abdicate complete responsibility and live without any kind of plan. I believe his message to all of us is this: “Go ahead, take charge. Make your lists. Plan your days, weeks, months and years well and be wise stewards of the time and talents I’ve given you. BUT… hold your agenda lightly! Be ready to change your plans when I tell you to. Then get ready for some wonderful surprises.”
I’m learning… slowly. Like last week when I had the wonderful surprise of spending the whole afternoon with a dear friend who came into town unexpectedly. What about my list for that day? Well, who cares! God had other plans. Two of His girls spent time together laughing, reminiscing, building each other up, and praying for each other’s needs. It was truly a day made in heaven and one that honored God.
Thank you Lord for our surprise girl’s day, and for the reminder that when my “to-do” list becomes overwhelming, I just have to stop and ask, “What is Your plan for me today? This is the only day you’ve given me, and what a gift it is! Yesterday is gone forever, and tomorrow may never come. I don’t want to waste today!”
declares the LORD,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
Have you given your plans to God lately? Do you give Him the pleasure of “surprising you?” Share your thoughts and stories with all of us here on the JoyBlog by clicking on “Comments” at the top right side of this page.
Blessings to you all!
Mary
What perfect timing Mary! Thank you for this reminder. I found myself feeling discouraged and exhausted as my To Do List kept growing rather than getting smaller. I so appreciate your sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and sharing it with us so we can benefit also. Blessings to you!
Thanks Kerry!
It is truly amazing, isn’t it? God uses whatever He puts on our hearts to touch the hearts of others. What a blessing & joy!
Mary
Two advantages of a spreadsheet for me would be to have my to-do list all in one place and to truly “give” my wanna-do worries to the Lord by writing them down, or in this case, typing them out. Usually, I have teensy sticky notes all over the place, which is frustrating because they’re so easy to misplace. I’ve only done the spreadsheet to-do list for one multifaceted project, and I can honestly say the spreadsheet saved my sanity. Plus, I got so much satisfaction typing in the column how each task was resolved. Another plus was that the progress of this project needed to be communicated to everyone in my family; an Excel spreadsheet is a whole lot easier to attach to a communal e-mail than a bunch of sticky notes are!
Ahh… a woman after my own heart! Sticky notes to spreadsheets – the natural progression of life. :o)