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morning prayer

As I lay in bed this morning, contemplating the tasks of the day ahead and knowing my tendency to put things off that are complex, demanding, or not clear, I asked God if he could help me be efficient today. And then I thought about that request for a bit and realised that it was rather lame. Efficient? Really? That's what I wanted this day to say about me? This was what was going to bring a sigh of satisfaction to my lips when I slipped underneath the same covers 16 hours later?

This is what I want to hear? Matte was efficient today. Well done, Matte. Hey, everybody, this is Matte. She is a very efficient person. You should get to know her. And by the way, God is extremely impressed that she got everything done. Efficiency was at the top of his priority list today, too. (that's sarcasm, okay.)

When I thought about it, efficiency does not rank among the virtues or the fruits of the spirit. Instead, there are things like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, and self-control. These are the things that move life in the right direction.

I changed my prayer. God, can you help me be loving today? Yes, that's what I really would like to do. Could it be that love has a stronger and more powerful motivating engine than any carefully crafted schedule, pressuring deadlines, or vast amounts of caffeine could ever boast? I believe so. Love will always find a way. Love will not give up. Love will go farther and longer than any incentive program could ever drive people to go, and never get tired in the process. Love is better than efficiency. It doesn't just get the job done; it changes the equation. It is the turbo-booster that expands the possibilities, defies the limitations, and allows generosity and grace to scribble all over the agenda.

This is Matte. She loves. That is what I really hope people can say about me today.
This is a picture of the view I have every morning when I wake up: my bedroom light.

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