Type A Personality and Me

I know it's likely you've probably heard more than you'd care to about Type A personality types.  Well, so I have I and I have to live with one -- ME!  I'm learning that my obsession with detail, perfection and doing it all for everyone is getting in the way of being the me I want to be.  This past year I've been trying to sort out just what the priorities in my life should be.  I think I've come up with a plan, and I'm hoping with the challenges I'm soon to face I will come out the other end successful.

First, I want to give credit to Ann Voskamp for writing the book, One Thousand Gifts.  After reading it and rereading portions of it, I began to see that I haven't been filled with a spirit of gratitude for a long time.  And that translates to I haven't been confronting God on a daily basis.  Confronting not in an oppositional way, but confronting Him to welcome His companionship as I travel this dusty road called life.  He wants to be needed; He wants to know I need Him.  In the process, God leaves me morsels daily of things to be grateful for, and I too have begun my list of "one thousand gifts."  Try it -- it will bring you such joy!

Secondly, a big thanks to Mary DeMuth for her prolific blogging, writing, and spiritual gifts.  Mary's writings are my mentoring source and my encouragement for the writing I want to do.  They are one reason I'm not in this blog as often as I probably should be.  Wanting to be a writer and being one are two entirely different things.  No two writers approach their work the same, and I'm still trying to find my niche.  Mary's works and blog are providing some of that guidance.  But the real killer here is finding time and recently Mary talked about The Pomodoro Technique and how it has helped her through difficult times.  Now, if I could just find the time to implement Pomodor's technique!

Now, I have uncovered and confessed my biggest problem -- time management.  With these tools in hand, perhaps I can capture the amount of time needed each day to do each of the important things in my life.  I need to sit down with Pomodoro's instructions for making a list and executing on it, and I need to ask God to help me as I try to accomplish managing my time.  Asking Him for what I need is one priority; spending time with Him is another.  If I put these two first with my gratitude list as three, I don't think I can possibly fail to make progress.

“Hurry with your answer, God! I'm nearly at the end of my rope. Don't turn away;
don't ignore me! That would be certain death. If you wake me each morning with the sound
of your loving voice, I'll go to sleep each night trusting in you. Point out the road I must
travel; I'm all ears, all eyes before you.  Save me from my enemies, God—
you're my only hope! Teach me how to live to please you, because you're my God.
Lead me by your blessed Spirit into cleared and level pastureland.”
Psalm 143:10 MSG