My Name's Not Earl But I've Got A List

It’s no longer on network television but one of my favorite comedy shows over the past few years has been “My Name Is Earl”. The premise for the show is that Earl has a list of people he has done wrong over the years. His life is focused crossing people off the list. He spends his time trying to make up to them for the bad deeds he’s done. By doing this it supposed to make him a better person. A concept I call the, all too common, concept of self obtained redemption by restitution. Its an exercise in futility but "Earl" is a very funny show.

The reason I mention this is because I too have a list. It’s not like Earl’s but it helps me stay focused . My “To Do” list gives me a tangible display of the things I want to accomplish; on both a weekly and daily basis. I make a new one on the computer every Sunday.

I don’t know why but having a list of things I want to accomplish each day in writing in front of me is a challenge. There’s a world of difference in my attitude of accomplishing those tasks when I have them written down and with me all time compared to just knowing I have to do them.

Crossing everything I set out to do at the end of the day is very rewarding. It’s kind of reminiscent of something your 1st or 2nd grade teacher would have you do when you were in school. “Cross all the things you’ve done today off of your wall chart, Ronnie” "Good for you!" "Here's your star." It’s elementary but still it’s rewarding.

My list is just a piece of paper on which I write down everything: things I want to get done, my shopping list, my work schedule, notes about church ministry, household or computer tasks, phone #s anything I need to write down or remember over the course of the week.

Most people, these days, do what I do with a portable electronic device. Whenever I ask my friend from church, Jake who is a sophomore in college, a question about his schedule or for a phone number he pulls out his Blackberry and starts tapping away with a stylus. My two sons have mobile gadgets that help them stay organized too. One has an IPhone and the other a PDA. I guess my “To Do” List is very “old school.”

Nevertheless, with the exception of some isolated incidents, the paper system I use for my “To Do” list works very well for me. It has been especially effective over the last week while I’ve been getting ready for the wedding and my family’s visit. Without it I would never be focused or motivated enough to get things done.