A List For Today.

I have a very busy day ahead preparing for guests tomorrow evening coming for a meal. It is a real pleasure to cook a meal for others and hope that they enjoy the food. It is the getting to that point that I find difficult. I am not really very good at thinking ahead, unlike my wife who has to have every little detail planned and written down on a list somewhere. 

I once worked with a minister whose wife did nothing without a list. The last thing she did each day was prepare her list for the next day. Her lists were something to behold, they started with the same thing each day, bring in the milk from the door. 

I am hopeless at such lists because my head is always full of others things. Those other things might not be important but they take up space and there is no room for anything else. 

I often wonder what life would be like if I did make a list, a kind of diary for my day? 

There is the story of Patrick and his wife Valerie. 

Patrick came home from work and found his three children outside, still in their pyjamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front garden. 

The door of his wife, Valerie's car was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog. Proceeding into the hall, Patrick found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the rug was piled up against one wall. In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing.

In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the worktop, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.

Patrick headed up the stair concerned about his wife. Stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, he got more and more concerned she might be ill. Maybe she had collapsed and something serious had happened. 

He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and sink. 

Was he rushed to the bedroom, he found Valerie still curled up in bed in her pyjamas, reading her book. She looked up at him, and smiled, and asked how is day had gone.

Patrick looked at Valerie, bewildered he asked, "What happened today?"

Valerie smiled and answered, "You know how every day when you come home from work and you ask me somewhat sarcastically what in the world I do all day?"

"Yes," was Patricks startled reply.

Valerie with a smile said, "Well, today, I did not do it."

I better go and make a list of all that I have to do today and what I need to get from the store. 

Hope you have a relaxing and good day.