Folks just say, "You can

do it." They don't understand. I can't.

Actually, I can. That is, I

could, if cloning were a little more advanced and I could instantly re-create

eight or ten other copies of me.

Know where I'm coming from

already, don't you? What do we do? How do we cope when the list is so

long and we are only one?

First, I fret! I rant... I

fuss. I wonder how on earth, and why in blazes would I let myself get

so caught up again, so busy, and acquire such a long "to do"

list?

Then and only then to I pray.

I should be ashamed, I suppose.

I used to be. Now I'm just me, and I live with a constant awareness that

God loves me just like I am. Inside and out, with all my quirks and imperfections,

I am loved.

Only after I pray do I sometimes

make a list. When I don't make a list, I just say something like this

to my Heavenly Father, "Lord I love you and I know you love me. I

know you know me better than I do and I'm sure glad you do. And you see

better than I can see how life is unfolding all around me.

"Now, Lord I'm becoming

a bit overwhelmed again. I'm sorry and I don't know if it's my own doing

or that of circumstances. I just know I need your help to sort it all

out. Give me strength, wisdom and courage to act (and the same to not

act) in my own best interest and the best interest of all your kids and

your kingdom."

Now, sometimes, I will go on

and on. Just ranting and raving about how aggravated I am at myself for

bad judgement or filling my plate too full...

But eventually, I shut up.

Whether my prayer is long or short, full of frustration, irritation, brokenness,

excitement, eagerness... no matter what, sooner or later, I grow quiet

and listen.

Then, oh my... It begins. The

scripture passages start to hit me in like delicate little feathers leaving

light impressions all over my heart. Words like "Don't be overwhelmed,

I'm with you. I am going before you to make the rough places smooth and

the crooked places straight."

If there's any fight left in

me, I counter with "but I feel like I'm up to my neck in deep water"

and the words continue "Don't be overwhelmed. I will not let you

drown. When you pass through the waters I will be with you and the rivers

shall not overflow you..."

Do you know what I'm talking

about? Do you ever feel like you have waded out in some beautiful shallow

crystal clear stream and are totally enjoying the experience (at work,

at home, in a relationship...) when all of a sudden some unexpected current

grabs you, and whew! All that crystal clarity is gone and you are once

more going with the flow!

You want to desperately grab

hold of something and work your way