I have a bad habit that will probably send me to an early grave. I know what you're thinking: I'm about to fess up to drugs or alcohol or some other equally destructive behavior.

It's actually the stress that my habit causes that has the potential to bring me down. I have a bad habit of always meaning to do something but rarely doing it. My life is one long series of "meant to's."

I meant to send a card.

I meant to not fly into a rage when Bob got perturbed with me...but after 30 years shouldn't he know that I don't even like the idea that I can perturb anyone...much less him?

I meant to leave in plenty of time.

I meant to spend some meaningful time in prayer.

I meant to be a better listener, remembering that God puts people into my life to teach me something (not the other way around).



And some time ago, I meant to take pictures of Flat Stanley. Unfortunately, I only remembered Flat Stanley when another flight attendant brought him with us on our trip.

Flat Stanley is a laminated paper doll that elementary school classrooms send to out of state acquaintances. The recipients of Flat Stanley are encouraged to take him along with him on their daily outings and include him in some pictures before they send him with the pictures back to the classroom. Apparently, the goal is for Flat Stanley to "see" all fifty states by the end of the school year.

My co-worker took a picture of him "sitting" on the front of her beverage cart. When they opened the aircraft door in Montego Bay, she hung him in the doorway so you could see the hills and palm trees of Jamaica behind him. On our layover in D.C. and she took a picture of him on the hotel van. She was very, very good to Flat Stanley.

Unfortunately, Flat Stanley was doomed from the very first day he arrived at my house. If I would have had a shred of decency I would have immediately mailed him back, knowing deep down that he would be just another tragic victim of "I meant to." Instead, I pondered taking some pictures with him and put him in my suitcase.

Months later (or was it years?) when my co-worker brought him out of her bag, I remembered my own Flat Stanley stuffed somewhere in my suitcase. So ultimately, all my Flat Stanley "saw" was the inside of my suitcase and then (of course) the inside of our garbage can.

I've been convicted this past year of the need to simplify my life. To get rid of all the "stuff." Simplifying makes room for what really matters: relationships. I've never regretted setting "things" aside to spend time with friends and family. I've never regretted writing a letter, or making a phone call or doing anything that strengthens relationships.

Procrastination is a real saboteur of time and my propensity for it is stealing the peace and joy God gives me when I do carry out the things He has planned for me to do.

Years ago the the teaching leader at Bible study (Anne Milleville) used a visual aid to illustrate the importance of prioritizing our time. She had a mason jar, some walnuts, and a cup of rice. The jar signified how much time we have in a day. The walnuts signified the really necessary things, like quiet time with God, prayer and serving others. The rice signified all the other "stuff" that fills our lives, both things we like to do and things we need to do...things like taking walks, reading, paying bills, doing laundry, watching our favorite television shows, etc. When she put the rice in first the walnuts didn't fit into the jar. When she put the walnuts in first and then added the rice, it ALL fit in! Because the rice fell into all the extra spaces the walnuts didn't take up. To get everything in, you have to put the big things in first.

The message is simple: When we put God first, our time is miraculously multiplied to allow us to accomplish everything else. "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Mt. 6:32-33)

I've taken the "walnut challenge" and have been amazed at how true the principle is, putting eternal things first did miraculously allow me enough time to accomplish all the other "stuff" too.