Winning Words 11/9/10
“The whole point of getting things done is knowing what to leave undone.” (Oswald Chambers) I have a 6” stack of papers on my desk that needs to be sorted into two piles: 1) Get it done today! 2) It can wait. Prioritizing things isn’t always a simple task. I don’t think Oswald would mind (d. 1917) if I revised his quote to read: “The whole point of getting things done is to start.” ;-) Jack

FROM NL IN INDIANA/FLORIDA: Good Morning: I like that, I believe in the pile method. It works for me. FROM JACK: I started on mine yesterday, and now it's down to an inch and a half.

FROM BBC IN ILLINOIS: Love Oswald! Haven't read him in a long time but my mom was a big fan when I was in my teens and his words leaked everywhere in the house. FROM JACK: Is there something like that which your kids will remember when they get to be your age? They're called, "The formative years." MORE FROM BBC: Probably waking up to NPR and/or reading the New Yorker. Since you're so engaging, I'll attach a copy of a recent New Yorker book review. The volume is about various studies (or angles from which to view) procrastination. I read it for myself and my procrastinator offspring…it made me laugh out loud many times. You'll see my notes/highlights to the kids but I was struck by the study of people's Blockbuster/Netflix Queue showing that folks tend to shuffle their own self-made lists in favor of "light films/comedies' defering more serious films…and another study where faculty allowed students to impose somewhat artificial deadlines on themselves. I hope you enjoy the read if you have time and can see the light print. It might be easier to
view online - the 10/11/10 issue. FROM JACK: I was able to pull up the article. I read the first page and then saw that there are three more. I think I'll put off reading the rest until I have more time.

FROM PRJM IN MICHIGAN: The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. The organization of a thousand pieces of paper begins with one piece, either dealt with or filed. My update on Chinese philosophy. :-) FROM JACK: ...or recycled or pitched. I found that probably four inches fell into that category. But, what was left was important. God has a more important job...the sheep and the goats.

FROM MOLINER CF: Procrastination is the thief of time. If you can't make up your mind to do it, maybe it doesn't need doing. FROM JACK: Maybe we procrastinate, because we are reluctant to make choices. I like the say: "Not to decide is to decide." MORE FROM CF: A choice philosophy.

FROM EMT SINGS IN MICHIGAN: You are right. I have already forgotten, sort of like having a baby and forgetting the pain. FROM JACK: There are somethings I don't know, and that's one of them. I do know that it's easy to keep putting some things off.

FROM MK IN MICHIGAN: Jack have you seen my piles? I made my Mom feel better once when she felt she was way behind, I said Mom take a look at this pile, she fainted…. I think my piles of papers to go through, things I intend to read, cards I can part with,, are a fire hazard! FROM JACK: Reluctantly, I threw somethings in the waste basket. I had read them once or twice. After all, it's the thought that counts

FROM JT IN MICHIGAN: I'm so glad you have a pile of "to do" on your desk, too. I got rid of mine a couple of weeks ago but it has reappeared. The good part is that when I do go through it I find a third pile "no longer relevant, can be pitched." ;-) FROM JACK: ...and I thought that I was the only one!

FROM JN IN MICHIGAN: Here's another thing my dad taught me, "When a task is once begun, never leave it 'til it's done. Be the labor great or small, do it well or not at all." In my case, I was never allowed to not do it at all! FROM JACK: One of the the hard choices a parent has to make is to allow a daughter (or son) to do things as a child would do them.

FROM SH IN MICHIGAN: My problem is the things that have been done before, the things that are nice to do, the things that no one else will do now unless I do them now and how not to let past self-and-others-expectations derail my getting done the things that need to have priority now. I like Oswald Chambers too--Pastor David clued me into reading some devotions written by him. FROM JACK: I think we need to learn that we can't do everything. And then, not to feel guilty about it.

FROM MO IN ILLINOIS: Bill and I were great admirers of Oswald Chambers! I like your revision, which is probably more to the point for most of us. I need to start sorting and pitching, for sure. It's getting started, and NOT reading through everything, or there goes your day. Ha! Good winning words today. I played bridge instead of working (actually I was the hostess today!) but did get two apple pies made, baked and into the freezer, so all was not lost.
FROM JACK: Yes, in seminary days, OC was recommended. We are shaped, in large part, by what we read... and by what we eat...like homemade apple pie.

FROM PRCH ON CAPE COD: This is helping me today as I negotiate lots of piles, files, e-mails, Advent planning,