How Intentional Have You Been Lately?

How intentional have you been lately?

I’ve been hit-or-miss.

Mostly miss.

Which is a shame, since INTENTIONAL is my word for the year.

As we discussed last week, there are a lot of areas in my life where I feel like I’m wandering. Housework, motherhood, writing, etc. And as we discussed, not all wandering is bad. Sometimes, wandering is the direct will of God.

But some of my wandering is not as out-of-my-hands as I pretend that it is.

Sometimes I’m just lazy or distracted.

I want to read a book, watch TV, or chat with a friend. All nice things. Just not always the best choice.

Of course, this is where the slope gets slippery.

At least it does for me.

I can easily be so attached to my schedule that I blow a gasket whenever the day goes off in an unexpected direction.

But, at the same time, having no plan at all often results in days, weeks, or months where I go through the motions of life but make little or no progress toward achieving the dreams I believe God has placed in my heart.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve felt this tension in my spirit—as if I’m inching along the edge of a deep chasm. I’m trying to figure out how to balance my need for order and structure with my desire to live each day—each moment—submitted to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

I’m planning and scheduling and even (gasp!) outlining (for my writing). I’m writing Bible verses on my calendar and posting reminders to myself to lean into the Spirit rather than on my own understanding of how each day should go. I’m making some progress.

But I know I have a long way to go.

So I want to ask you—how do you do it? If you’re a planner, what tips can you share for not making your schedule into an idol? If you fly by the seat of your pants, how do you ensure that the most important things get done? I’d love to learn from you! Please share with all of us in the comments!

Proverbs 16:9 ~ The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. (ESV)