Redefining Priorities – Ben

August 2, 2021, Ben Hyrne wakes up from a restless sleep as his three-year-old son pile drives him in the solar plexus. He’s spent most of the night tossing and turning in what the Holiday Inn claimed to be a “queen-sized bed” but was really a modern-day take on a Catherine Wheel. No matter. He was looking forward to the day. After all, his family was going to a construction-themed amusement park. And even though schooling wouldn't resume for some weeks, it would be a fitting end to their summer escapades. 

As he lovingly tosses his son across the room to safely land in a sprawl on the other bed, Ben picks up his phone. The time read, "7:29AM."  Ben thinks to himself, "Man. I can't believe the kids let us sleep in so long." But as his eyes blearily focus on his notifications, he notices a text from his friend, Stephen Sapp. He begins to read and his stomach is at once in a knot. A round turn and two half hitches kind of knot, too; not one of those simple figure-eight ones. The text was from the night before, and it said, "Ben you good for kicking off Redefining Priorities tomorrow?"

Stephen, of course, was talking about The Middlings Blog. It was Ben’s turn to start off the month. But Ben was not “good for kicking off Redefining Priorities.” 

Ben had utterly forgotten. 

Ben had been entirely focused on this mini-vacation to the exclusion of everything else. 

And what was the topic again? Oh right. “Redefining Priorities.” Even in his sleep-deprived state, the irony of his situation was not lost on him. Especially when his loving wife, with all the glee of a schoolgirl on Christmas morning, points it out to him over breakfast. 

Ben then proceeds to confess that, in fact, he had absolutely nothing written. He apologizes. He is forgiven. And he is then told, in a kind but stern way, to get the post up by the next day.  

And so, here he is. Typing away at his keyboard. It’s 10:35PM. He’s wearied from his day and more than a little burned from the sun. But he types. Hoping that something worth reading would come to him so he can post this to the blog and go to bed. 

If only Ben had made himself a reminder in his calendar. Dear reader, he lives and dies by that calendar. He once put a reminder in his calendar about reviewing his calendar just so he doesn’t forget something important in his calendar. And yet, despite all his best efforts, he had forgotten something important. 

And what’s the moral of the story? How do you position your priorities in such a way that you don't end up like Ben? The timeless lesson is this: When you learn of a deadline, put it in your calendar. 

Ben couldn’t find anything in Scripture to support this point. But if the Apostle Paul were alive today and knew of such things, no doubt there would be something written about it. So, don’t be like Ben. If it’s important enough to remember, it’s important enough to put it in your calendar.