Off Kilter

Clocks are tricky things. Every spring, they “spring forward” an hour to make up for the hour they “fall back” on in October. This is done to maximize the amount of “daylight” hours we experience each day. (Or at least that is the theory behind “daylight savings time”) You’d think we as humans would be used to this behavior, but every spring, you hear people bemoaning the fact that they “lost” an hour of sleep. Really? Where did the hour go? Isn’t it still there?

I am not one of those people who cries for the “lost” hour in spring or praises the “extra” hour in the fall…truly, I am not, but I must be getting old ‘cause today threw me for a loop. Like most people, I set my clocks forward last night before I went to sleep so that this morning, the new time would not shock a sista when she woke up. But I had to be up early this morning because I needed to get my car tuned up – and I wanted to be at the mechanic’s shop first thing. So, while the clock said “9:00a”, I was up and out the door at what my body still considered “8:00a”. (Which really is NOT that unusual for me – I tend to be a night owl who is also an early bird). But errand after errand, plus an impulsive 5 mile walk to visit a friend and her brand new baby girl, wore a sista out. By the time I finally got home at “3:30p”, I needed a nap…and that turned into a “sleep”. So now, at “10:30p”, I am WIDE AWAKE. Oh joy.

Routines have their place. Normally, I wake up on Sunday morning and call my grandmother. It is our weekly time to “catch up” on all that is going on in her world. After getting off the phone with her, I usually do my morning devotions and write my blog or journal. In my rush to get to the mechanic’s, I didn’t call her. Because I didn’t call her, the two other things didn’t happen either…until post-sleep/nap. And even though nothing major went wrong today…all day, there was this “disconnect” going on – I felt “off kilter”. Like I’d forgotten to do something…like something was missing. It was only in the last hour, as I FINALLY had my devotions, that I realized what it was. I hadn’t started my day by connecting with the Lord, and so while I functioned, I was not at my optimal best. Like I said, routines have their place.

I am glad that Jesus is never “off His game.” His example shows us that EVERY MORNING, He got up and communed with His Father. He connected and got His marching orders for the day – and it didn’t matter if the clock had marched forward an hour or fallen back or anything. His priorities always were, and still are, “right on time.” Oh, to be like Jesus. That is my prayer and I hope it is yours as well.

Be blessed.

© 2010 Kristina E. Smith
Sunday, 14 March, 2010