priorities

None of us can do everything. Despite the fact we'd like to.

So there's always the need to prioritise. Because if we don't the urgent tends to stick its head in front of the important.

We have to choose. And what governs the choice is always pretty critical. Whose approval am I looking for? Who am I trying to please?

Silly question. At least when framed like that.

It's the Lord I'm seeking to please. And so I'm always trying to figure out from him just where he means that I should be and what I should be doing day by day.

It's a choice that I make to be at the school so much. A choice informed (I hope) by him. He laid it on my heart and made it very clear a year or so ago, before there were these openings - he made it very clear that that was where he meant me to have time to be far more.

So today, once again, I was along for the next in the sessions with all of the Primary 5 on Christianity. This time on the four key words they have to be familiar with (according to the stuff in their curriculum). Gospel, miracle, parable and sacrament.

Except we only got as far as the first two of these. It was that good fun!

'Gospel' and 'miracle'. Well, I guess by definition they should both be fun. I think the children enjoyed the time: and I think they got the message. They're a great bunch and enter into it all so very fully.

I was barely through the door on my return before a man who was our youth worker a long time back comes through the door. I'd said to come along today and I'd given him my times. And here he was, bang on the button.

Clive's not been well for quite a while. A virus, months back, which seemed to get into his body and attack his systems, putting him out for the count for weeks and weeks on end. It's not been an easy time for him.

But he's thankfully on the mend, picking up strength and able to do a bit more all the time. It was great to see him.

And great to be able to offer him somewhere to come to and do some work. That's one of the problems he's had. Working at home's proved hard. So the very simple discipline of getting on his bike and riding along here is the sort of framework he needs.

We've got the room to house the guy. And it means, as well, that he's around and able to be with people when he wants as well.

So he stayed on for quite a while and joined Douglas and I for lunch as well. I think I could have left him and Douglas chatting all afternoon! But there were things that Douglas needed to run past myself, so eventually he and I had a chance to chat things through and pray aout the issues that he had.

Again, these are choices I make. By seeing them, it means there are others I do not see.

Same with the e-mails. A lot of e-mail correspondence.

I know there's always the 'Junk' I could consign them to. But a lot of them centre round pretty important pastoral matters and often involve considered and lengthy replies.

One was the sequel to last night's visit and the way the Lord's been working in that persoon's life. There were more quite remarkable things going on today in the person's life.

It's humbling and thrilling to see all the Lord is doing in the ordinary lives of people all around!

And then there were visits to make as well. People to call by and see. Some in relation to the lady who'd died, whose funeral service is later this week. Some in relation to people who've been in hospital.

A man in particular, who's rallied quite amazingly these last few days. Noticeably so, when I saw him tonight. It was good to see him and his family, too, and to be able to pray with them.

But my days are like everyone else's days. A limited number of hours. And a limit, as well, to the things I can do and the people I get to see.

There are choices I have to make. And by leaving the choice to the Lord and asking for his direction, it's great to find I'm where he means that I should be.

And some wonderful things result when life gets lived like that!