Too many baskets

4:40 p.m. Today's project was to get some rest after an evening of birthday celebration and staying up well past midnight cleaning up the kitchen. On five hours of sleep I managed to attend, and be attentive at, Bible study this morning. But after praying with a sister at the end of the session, I made a beeline for my bed, took two aspirin and slept for a couple of hours!

Our son Kriss was telling us all about multiple singing auditions coming up with local bands, which have to be scheduled between his home and work life. He had a great saying, not sure whether it is original with him or not:

TOO MANY BASKETS AND NOT ENOUGH EGGS!

Boy, can I relate! I have far too many "baskets," or "projects," and not the amount of time or resources to keep them all full, or even at an acceptable level of completion. This evening, I'll be dropping off a casserole to a mom who's bedridden and then go on to church to deliver the devotional for a Heart to Home class. I also needed to place a vitamin order from Shaklee. Never mind that the order I'm dueto place for my Mary Kay business isn't done yet, and I have to get dinner going for Steve and me. I also just found out that I'll be delivering product to my niece in Orange tomorrow because it's been returned for faulty address twice. Guess I'll take advantage and drive to Shinoda's warehouse in Santa Ana for two hurricane centerpieces we are lacking for Heidi's wedding reception.

Is it actually too many things to do, or that they all seemed to fall in the same two or three days ? Or did the loss of two productive hours today skew my well-planned itinerary? I suspect the former, because the Lord gives each of us approximately 12-16 hours in which to take care of our relationship with Him, foremost, and then our responsibilities to others and our financial business. We needn't fell rushed, but keep our lives orderly and seek Him in all matters!

"Seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you, " Jesus said in Matthew 6:33. I think I get into trouble, mentally and interpersonally, when I have too many of "these things."

We all could use a good re-examination of our "baskets," and begin some serious and prayerful prioritizing. This wedding season is bound to get even busier, for instance, and duties of a mother of the bride cannot be outsourced, but some tasks can be done by others, or done more carefully, like addressing my business mailings correctly. And lots of believers can be of service in the community and the church, making for a better experience for all concerned.

As I bake the chicken enchiladas, get myself a meal and then dress for the evening, I am remembering to praise God, "who has not left off His kindness to the living and the dead," as Naomi cried out in praise at her deliverance from starvation because of a kinsman redeemer, Boaz, when she returned to Israel with her daughter-in-law in Ruth 2:20.

Our Redeemer, Jesus, is always good, always love, at all times and in all things. And the more we seek Him, and give to others, the more the right baskets, at the right time, will be filled. Luke 6:38 says:"good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over!"