Years ago I was a sales representative with a major consumer goods corporation. At the time there was a new way of moving products from manufacturer to retailer, skipping warehousing. They called it “just in time delivery”. The advent of large superstore retailers had made it possible. We were “drop shipping” loads of paper products directly to stores instead of to warehouses.
I am at a point in my life where I am managing multiple demands on my time. I am juggling postgraduate classes in seminary that involve heavy duty reading and weekly papers, participating in a Clinical Pastoral Education practicum, keynote speaking for a women’s spiritual enrichment retreat in 10 days, giving a talk at an Emmaus walk in six weeks, writing curriculum for my student responsibilities at work, training a staff member in some new duties, and maintaing a schedule of counseling and case management at work. Some days I feel like I’m the proverbial duck, trying hard to look calm on the surface and paddling like crazy underneath. So far, at least, I’m managing to “deliver” everything “just in time”. I pray that nothing untoward or unplanned comes along. That would throw a significant monkey wrench in my system!
I heard one time that “the Lord never hurries, but He is always right on time!” Well, I’m on time with everything so far, but I can’t say that I’m not hurrying! Everything feels hurried. I’m starting to look forward to the completion of some of these projects! Several people have asked me recently what else I plan to do when I finish my seminary classes. My response is NOTHING! I will have had enough already of classes, papers, textbooks, and tests.
Lord, allow me to continue to be “just in time.”