Day 177, June 26

Who knew that our world would spin so crazily? Do you ever want to call a halt to the busy-ness of life and say, "Stop, world. I need to catch up?"

I spend a lot of time playing catch up. I catch up on my writing. I catch up on my laundry. I catch up on my housework. I catch up on any number of things. The only problem is that I never do completely catch up. There is always one more story to write, one more load of laundry to do, one more room to vacuum and dust.

One day, when all our children were still at home, I threatened anyone with grievous harm if they put an article of clothing in the newly-emptied laundry basket. A full day of doing the wash had left me feeling militant toward anyone who dared to sully that empty basket with dirty clothes.

"Take your clothes outside and bury them in the dirt. Burn them. I don't care. But don't bring them in here."

I issued that directive in all seriousness. No one was going to take away my giddy feeling of knowing that all the sheets, towels, and clothes were clean. Of course, I couldn't keep it up. Dirty clothes found their way into the basket and that glorious moment of having caught up vanished.

When did I become so obsessed about having everything done? Did it start when I was in school and worked to get all my homework done? Did I start when I had a baby, then two, then three, and more and struggled to get anything at all accomplished?

My musings led me to consider my Father in Heaven. Does He ever have to play catch up? Does He ever struggle to get everything done? I'm certain He handles life much better than I do, that He keeps things in perspective and concentrates on the important ones, letting the others go.

Letting things go is hard for me. How do I decide what is important and what is not? I fail dismally at this too many times, but I keep trying, hoping that someday I'll get it right.

So, for today, I am grateful when I catch up on important things ... and for knowing when to let others go.