There are not enough hours in the day.

If you are familiar with the Steven Covey book “7 habits of Highly effective people.” You should be aware of his 4 quadrants. He recommends that you focus on the items that fit into the urgent and important Quadrant. Too often we get caught up in the urgent/Not important quadrant.

It is really easy to get sucked into items that scream for your attention but do not let you focus on what you really care about. Some days I feel like I am only putting out fires. I want to get things done. Important things. Long term things. Big picture things.

I try to carve out time to do some long-term planning. I block out a few hours a week to look at the big picture. But often the day-to-day activities of the center pull me back. It is hard to plan when you are helping people survive.

Tonight, I stepped outside my front door with the dogs and looked over to Holy Cross Church. My mind wandered to all the projects and repairs that are calling for my attention. Easter is coming and I want to make sure all 3 churches are ready and looking their best. On top of that there are a number of repairs needed at the center, my house and with our vehicles. The grant calls for my attention and the bookkeeping of the center takes much of my time.

I cannot do all of it.

I wish I had a clone to get more done.

It is important that I prioritize activities. Sometimes I must put off projects until a later date. BUT I prioritize people. If the staff does not show I still need to feed the people who knock on our door or who are in the day shelter. Or I need to stop doing paperwork to take a guest of the shelter to the hospital for an appointment.

Tonight, we had the joy of having kids back in the church for Kid’s Time. I was asked to help bring the food over and to offer the dinner prayer. It was fun to get high 5’s from the kids. To spend time with people.

I know we are doing good work. Helping to run the shelter for the tribe and being the day shelter is meaningful work. I was informed that over the next week we will have 8 people moving on from the shelter to the next step on their journey!! Some are going to treatment for addictions, others have found housing! The ESG-CV grant has allowed us to house 14 families and over 40 people into permanent housing.

But I can only do so much. Things I want to take care of have to wait, or never get done. Prioritizing leads to decisions that I am unhappy with. But it is what must happen. Certain things must be taken care of, or I will not be able to continue. Sometimes I must let things go. I pick and choose.

If I had a clone, I could get more done. I must forgive myself for not being able to do it all. I do my best.