'interruptions'

Most people call them 'interruptions'.

The things that crop up which disrupt and destroy all the plans that you had for the day.

There's a kind of mental grid I sometimes use to work out what to do with things like that. I ask myself two questions.

How important is this? and

How urgent is this?

That enables me to place the thing in one of four 'quadrants'. And after that it's easy.

Quadrant 4 is a waste of my time (neither urgent nor important): I 'bin' it.

Quadrant 3 is still going to be a waste of my time (urgent but not important): so I'll try and 'delegate' it if I can (and won't be too bothered if I can't).

Quadrant 2 doesn't need my attention just now (important but not urgent): so I need to 'plan' it for some time ahead - when it is going to be a bit more urgent.

Quadrant 1 is the bit that really matters (urgent and important): this is stuff I need to 'do'. Here and now.

It doesn't take long. The process of putting a thing in its quadrant is done in a second or two.

But today there have been a series of 'Q1' things cropping up.

'Interruptions' some people would call them. I choose to see these Q1 things as the Lord re-arranging my day, to fit in with his diary. So that I can be sharing in what it is he's doing.

As I say, my day was full of these Q1 things.

For instance -

A man came in this morning. He's a fine Christian man, retired for a while, and he sometimes calls by for a chat.

Urgent? Yes - insofar as the moment will rapidly pass.

Important? Well, yes. No two ways about it. His friendship's too special, his wisdom and love of the Lord is too great for a moment like that to be lost.

Coffee. And chat. For a good long while. Important, indeed. A sort of 'iron sharpening iron' type of moment.

And then someone else calling in. A series of issues that are all of them needing addressed.

Not so much an 'iron on iron' sort of thing. More my serving as a sounding board. Bouncing the ideas around. Suggesting solutions and getting a second opinion. Seeking a bit of advice.

Urgent and important. Q1 stuff again.

And some e-mails, too. Here's where the grid comes into its own!

Q4 is the 'Delete' button. Q3 is the 'Forward' button. Q2 and I leave them in bold ('unread' and still requiring attention). And Q1 - well, those are the ones requiring attention right now. 'Reply' (or 'Reply to all').

There have been a number of those today. And some have taken a while.

Folk from farther afield who've been seeking advice on how they should now be responding to decisions with which they're involved.

Hamilton Presbytery stuff. It's been in the papers this week, The Herald first of all and then the like of The Times.

There are deep-rooted rifts in Big Church these days which are simply not going away. And there are folk who are troubled out there, in the thick of it all, in need of support and encouragement, guidance, advice and the knowledge they don't stand alone.

Urgent? You must be joking: of course it is. And important? Very.

So the course of my day has had its different detours. And a lot of the ground that I'd hoped I might have covered today has remained high and dry.

But I travel each day on the river of the Spirit of the Lord, that flow of grace from the fountain of life.

And I never quite know, for all my plans, just exactly what each day will bring.