Red Eye Worship.
I do this to myself almost every week.
I wait until a couple of hours before a deadline before I work to get things done. Take tonight for example: (warning — other worship leaders will gasp in horror at this, so continue reading at your own risk) It’s 2:30am on Saturday night/Sunday morning, and I’m just finishing organizing the setlist—for the 10:45 service! Sad to say, there have been several times when the setlist for worship comes together the evening before or even the morning of leading worship… as in “Let’s throw together the setlist, I gotta lead worship in an hour!”
Not good.
Don’t get me wrong, the band does a heck of a job, and it always ends up sounding very good. I chalk it up to Holy Spirit intervention… but I don’t think I would call it procrastination. I didn’t prepare this way last summer or in the years before that. I was on top of my A game. This is more or less just a lack of focus. And, it’s frustrating to me, because I set goals like planning ahead a few weeks, but lately I just can’t get it together. Add to the craziness of life my class schedule and trying to be a good husband… at least I get the schedule out on time (most of the time).
I blame my impending fatherhood for my lack of focus. And I also ran out of coffee last week and haven’t had time to go buy some more. Whatever… these are just excuses.
We ALL mess up,and you’re honest...
Hi Isaac, it’s my first time here, but I have a thought or two.
What DID you find time to do? Those are the things you really consider important.
We each have the same 168 hours in a week (1440 minutes a day) so the thing to watch for is how we spend them. If we’re good stewards we’ll use and invest those hours in a way that earns our Master’s smile of approval.
It may be that you’ve got a lot of demands on your time at this point in life and may need to prune a couple things away to allow the really important things to thrive. It may be you need to tell the band “this is what I’ve been able to contribute this week” and ask their help without apologizing. Or it may be that you’re due for some priority re-arranging. You can always tell what a priority is by noting what it takes to bump one. What’s been bumping preparation out of your field of vision lately? That’s the current priority. Without beating yourself up ask yourself if that’s what belongs at the head of the pack.
The important thing is that you look at it objectively and adjust — if it’s needed.
Blessings,
Phil—
[...] scheduling our next worship retreat, and overall… I feel a lot more in control than I did last week. I don’t have the setlist organized as far in advance as I would like, but one step at a [...]
Can’t say I’ve ever been at that point because we rehearse earlier in the week, but I’ve been to a couple of rehearsals before where I wasn’t sure what we were going to do for that weekend. I agree too that it just feels like there are a million things that seem to cloud the mind and keeps you from being able to sit and focus on what needs to happen that weekend. I think there are seasons that this happens and it won’t always be like this.
What I’ve found personally is that when this happens, a growth spurt is soon to follow. My mind is trying to catch up on all the things I have to do and at the same time grow as a leader. This means that I have to find a new way of doing some of the other things I do so that I can be more effective as a leader.
Anyway, my two cents worth… you’re not alone (and glad I’m not alone) with feeling unable to focus. Maybe it’s ADHD or too much coffee (like there is such a thing
BTW, thanks for checking out my blog.
Glad you are more focused - can you come clean out my study?
It’s the 2007 and that might take all of 2007 project.
I have a “what not to do in the delivery room” funny for you. Hope you and your wife and “your kid” are doing great!
http://dyingarts.wordpress.com/2007/02/08/fun-times-in-the-delivery-room/