Dr. James L. Snyder
Throughout my life, I have always lived on a schedule. Every day is devoted to certain tasks, and it has worked for me so far.
I know what day it is by what I am doing that day.
Unlike The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, I cannot multitask. I have to do one thing at a time, which has to be on my schedule.
I am often impressed by my wife’s ability to multitask. She can do a dozen things at once and get them accomplished the way they are supposed to be, but I have a hard time knowing what she is doing at any given time.
I plan my week in a very precise routine. I can only do one thing at a time, which must be on my schedule.
I schedule each week by assigning a particular project to each day. I spend one day doing my radio ministry, another doing my weekly column, and then several days working on my sermon for Sunday. I follow my routine very precisely each week.
Unfortunately, my schedule has been interrupted. I spent five days in the hospital and then over two weeks in bed recuperating from my health problem.
Being in the hospital is a very boring time. There is not much I can do because I have medical personnel coming in and out poking me with needles and all sorts of things. Just when I think I’m asleep someone comes.
Some even came in around 3 a.m., and unfortunately, I was not sleeping because how in the world can you sleep in a hospital with such a routine?
I never knew what day it was and was so very confused. One day was just like the other, and I was not getting anything done.
Now, I’m trying to get back on schedule. Boy, is this difficult. I guess it’s because of my age I can’t begin to pull everything back together again as quickly as I need to.
Every day of the week is identified by the project I’m working on. Now, I’m so confused that I have no idea what day it is or what I should be doing.
I remember asking The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage one day, “What day is it today?”
Looking at me with one of her grimaces, she said, “What day would you like it to be?” Then she laughed and walked away.
If I had my way, today would be the day before I went into the hospital.
I had to spend some time searching my journal to figure out what I had been doing before I went into the hospital. The good thing is that I keep notes or I would be completely lost.
I spent one whole day going through four years of journals to figure out what I was doing each day. I carefully made notes and began understanding what I was doing Monday through Friday.
Going through these journals enabled me to figure out my schedule for the week. I usually don’t spend much time figuring out what I’m doing; I just do it. I was getting close to the end of my research and was happy to work these out.
One morning, I got up and walked out to the kitchen, where The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage was preparing breakfast. She looked at me and said, “So, what day is it for you?”
Looking at her I said, “Today is National Apple Fritter Day.”
I laughed and went to sit down in my chair, and then realized I didn’t know what day it was. Now, what do I do? If I don’t know what day it is, how will I know what I’m supposed to be doing today?
It could be my old age, but I’m terrible at remembering the day. If I don’t know what day it is, how am I going to spend the day productively and what project I am going to be working on.
The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage brought my breakfast and a nice hot cup of coffee. Before walking away, she said, “Today is Wednesday, and it’s the day you do your radio work.” Then she went back into the kitchen.
Aha. That will solve my problem for today. I’ll spend the morning doing my radio programs for the week. I was kind of happy to hear that. Now I know how I will spend the day.
Nothing is more satisfying than knowing what you’re doing. Unlike The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, I’m not multitasking because if I was, I would never get back to my schedule like I had it before. I cannot handle 100 tasks like my wife can. I can only handle one task at a time.
I often think about what it would be like to multitask and juggle hundreds of tasks simultaneously. I wonder how much I could get done if I could do that. My Tok needs to Tik on time everyday.
Getting back to my regular schedule is a very relaxing thing for me.
I thought of a verse of scripture along this line. Ephesians 5:15-16, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
Although the days are evil, each day I need to walk exactly in a way that honors God.
Dr. James L. Snyder lives in Ocala, FL with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. Telephone 1-352-216-3025, e-mail jamessnyder51@gmail.com, website www.jamessnyderministries.com