“This Is Your Stuff”

We get wrapped up in our own little world much of the time, concentrating on essential daily details like work, emails, paying bills, posting on Facebook, trying to cover all the bases of our responsibilities.

Or, what we THINK are our responsibilities.

My ever-growing personal ‘to do’ list usually seems impossibly long—I categorize my tasks into areas such as work, home, errands, later, or NOW. I think that if I write my jobs down, then I can clear my mind and focus better. Sometimes that works. Other times, I get stuck in my never-ending List and have difficulty getting free. I can easily work myself into Organization Paralyzation.

But all too often, I think we forget to lift our eyes up a little higher than our home plate to visualize the bigger picture of life—and how we fit in—our Destiny Direction. Can we get so bogged down in the details that we forget to recalibrate or realign every now and then, to make sure we are heading in the right direction?

Upon returning from an annual Burning Man ministry trip, I spent the first day home unpacking and doing laundry—dealing with the overwhelming ‘dig out’ we all experience after long, hard trips.

I planned to accomplish a bunch of stacked-up errands. I always ponder and pray about efficient ordering and timing of errands.

First place I stopped, I looked the gal at the counter in the eye and asked her, “How’s your day going?” She broke down and told me, “I’m having terrible nightmares that frighten me and I haven’t been sleeping, and there is no one to help me understand what is happening.”

Imagine that! Since I’m a dream interpreter who helps people deal with this subject all the time, I offered to listen and help. It amazes me that strangers will open up and confide in me like they do, especially regarding their dreams. An hour later, we have addressed some of her fears, and I’m on my way to my next errand.

Next place I go, I meet eyes with a friend in her shop and ask how she is doing—something similar happens. More dreams to walk through regarding difficulties in her workplace. Lots of listening, wiping tears, encouragement, and hugs.

I stop in to get my hair cut, and my hairdresser is sad and upset, feeling the weight and pain of her unemployed son who has a new baby and a mortgage. More listening and attempts to affirm—and my hair looks terrific.

Five hours since I left home, with quite a few stops to make, I’m beginning to mutter to myself about my long list of things yet to accomplish.

I stop in to get my car washed. The 67-year-old cashier lady looks at me and says, “Your hair is just the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.” I thank her, peer into her sweet face, and ask her how she’s doing, and she bursts into tears. She says, “I just got my hair growing back from chemo, and I feel so un-pretty.” I listen to her cancer story, her anxieties, take her hands and offer to pray for her. She is very grateful and I feel humbled and honored.

As I’m driving home, feeling a little weary from these encounters, I spoke to Spirit, “I had so many interruptions today and needed to get my stuff done. What’s up?”

Spirit’s immediate answer: “This is your stuff.”

Oh yeah . . .

We each possess far more potential than we realize—may we watch diligently with a willingness to step into higher opportunities to touch and change the world—one ‘errand’ at a time.

“This Is Your Stuff”