Lists: Freedom or Chains?

Lists: Freedom or Chains? 

Is anyone else addicted to lists?  I know that I am.  I like to create them just so I can cross off the items.  It gives me a sense of satisfaction.  I like to make a new list every day to get my thoughts straight and know exactly what I need to accomplish that day.  Surely, I remember what I need to do each day but sometimes mom life, work life, home life, and wife life can get mixed up and go crazy really fast.  Lists help me to breathe and relax.  If I have written it down and I know where to find it I can be assured that I will not forget to complete the tasks laid before me.

I also love fun lists.  You know top ten lists.  The top ten best movie quotes of all times, the ten most memorable moments of 2015, top ten reasons why men and women are different.  The lists go on and on and on.  I think my favorite "top" lists are ones pertaining to music.  The best love songs of the 1990's (I grew up in the 90's so I love to remember), the most motivational songs of the 70's or the best "get up and dance" songs of all time.  I love to see how other people rate different aspects of life; music, movies, pick up lines, or bad dates in list form.  There is just something ridiculously fun and funny about assigning a ranking.  People list the worst jobs they have ever had and then we rank them.

I even love grocery lists, even though I do not like to grocery shop!  You plan out exactly what you need, then in order you collect the items and check them off of your list.  Ah...mission accomplished.  And then I think, maybe I have control issues and that is why I love lists so much.  I can control my lists but that makes me think about Jesus.  God is constantly taking the control out of my hands so that He can be in control.  Sometimes it is so very hard for me to relinquish control but then, at the same time, there is so much freedom in just surrendering to the Lord.  He is teaching me every day to just say, "It is well or it will be well."

As much as I love lists I desire freedom in Christ.  He doesn't usually do things the way I would, in the order I have on my list but His ways are higher and greater and I look to Him each day to show me what's next on His list!

Isaiah 55: 8-9
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts." 

Ephesians 3: 20

"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think."