Abundantly Desolate

The list of things I am able to do is far longer than the list of things I should do.
And the two lists are constantly trading back and forth. I have to pay close attention to see what is where.
I can teach, speak publicly, do well in school, cook, decorate, counsel, read, dress well, give myself a French manicure, do well at work, be funny, write, be an excellent snow driver and sing all the words to The Devil Went Down To Georgia.
I cannot sing, tap dance, draw, perform on the uneven parallel bars, levitate or clean dentures.
There may be more items for each list but I cannot currently think of them. So I guess thinking of more things goes on the "things I cannot do" list.
It gets really interesting when other people cast their ballots as to what I can, cannot, should or should not do. And most of you are very convincing. That is why I do not listen to you. Because you are crazy and I cannot medicate you.
I have both underdone and overdone life. I have done a whole lot of nothing productive. This is fine as long as it doesn't become one's specialty. I have noticed that the less things I choose from the things I can do list that also qualify for the things I should do list the more of things I am not supposed to do surface. Such as being un-graceful, being very sarcastic, being discontent, being easily hurt...
Now let's talk about overdoing life. And life can indeed be overdone. Let me share with you a true story from the Mr.'s life. When our marriage was gasping its death rattle, he became a Golden Boy. The Golden Boy of Ford Motor and our church that is. Nothing the guy wouldn't do...except be at home. Working twelve hour days and weekends. Need someone to go to midnights? He's your man! And ministry? MINISTRY in bold caps I tell ya. Practice, church services, street ministry, prison ministry; you name in. How can you fault a guy so dedicated to the WORK OF THE LORD; also in bolds and caps you'll note. Things in bolds and caps cannot be questioned as they are holy. If you question them you will incur the wrath of God and his PEOPLE (note bolds and caps.) You'll pray to be turned to a pillar of salt when they start looking concerned about your lack of passion for the WORK OF THE LORD.
Anyhoo, I was not and am not impressed with the Golden Boy. He was doing a lot of nothing. His life was abundantly busy and personally desolate. He was hiding in abundance (neither capitalized nor bolded.)
A very good measure of whether you might have items displaced to the wrong list is joy. Do you find joy in what you're doing or do you look for joy in what you're doing. Hmmm. That's profound if I do say so myself.
Are you tired from a season of hard work for a specific purpose or are you exhausted from trying to do more than you did yesterday or last week?
I think we all need to look at the Things I Can Do List and make sure every item is not also on the Things I Am Doing List.
If the two lists are identical, be very careful. You might find yourself starving in the feast. You might be golden but tarnished. You might be abundantly desolate.

1 Corinthians 10:23"Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive.