One Extra Sunday, Please

Dorothy Eaton Watts, forme General Conference Women’s Ministries Director

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

I sat at my desk, head in my cupped hands, and stared at my daily planner. I looked at the long list of items and sighed. I had done nothing I set out to do. There had been so many interruptions, all important but very time-consuming. I looked at my watch. It was nearly lunchtime, and I hadn’t started on the list yet. Where would I find the time to do all that I needed to do? What I need is an extra Sunday for this week, I mused. Sundays were days when the office was closed, and I could work uninterrupted at difficult tasks that needed concentration.

“Hoihnu!“ I called to my assistant. “Do you have one of those books that we use to requisition supplies from the stockroom?“
“Yes,“ she said cheerfully. “I’ll bring it right there.“ In a moment she was beside me, order book and pen in hand. “What can I get for you?“ she asked.
“Please order me one extra Sunday for this week.“
She looked at me with a puzzled expression on her face. “What was it you needed? I didn’t quite get it.“
„I really need one extra Sunday for this week,“ I repeated. „Please order one.“
Suddenly she realized the joke and replied, „For that, I guess you’ll need to talk to the office manager. There’s none available in the stockroom.“

Ah, yes. If only we could order more time when we need it! I longed for chunks of uninterrupted time.

That night I wrote in my prayer journal: “Lord, for You time is not important. You have all of eternity, but I have only now. For me, time is a source of frustration because I don’t have enough of it. I feel as though time is running away from me.“

I drew a clock with legs racing along the page with a stick figure of a woman (me) racing after it. Under it, I wrote, „If only I could catch time and make it stand still until I get my work all caught up! What a dream!“

Yet God has given us all the time we need to do whatever is important. I need to bring my to-do lists to Him each day for His direction. There will be time enough for everything that really needs doing. No extra Sundays needed.

Sanctuary © 2009 by Review and Herald Publishing Association

Dorothy Eaton Watts, forme General Conference Women’s Ministries Director