{"id":2981,"date":"2012-08-15T05:43:35","date_gmt":"2012-08-15T09:43:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/simplelife\/?p=2981"},"modified":"2012-08-16T06:23:56","modified_gmt":"2012-08-16T10:23:56","slug":"work-completed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/08\/work-completed.html","title":{"rendered":"Work Completed"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Yesterday was one of those days. \u00a0For months, I’ve tried to figure out how The Special Gathering of Indian River Christmas play should be written. \u00a0Special Gathering is a ministry within the mentally challenged community. \u00a0Our population learns more slowly than normal; yet they are adults. \u00a0It is important that the play is not only educationally appropriate but also appropriate for adults.<\/p>\n

Regarding the play, I write it. \u00a0Therefore, I begin searching for ideas for the next year as soon as the play is written for the current year. \u00a0Sounds as though I’d be way ahead of the game by mid-summer, doesn’t it? \u00a0 That could be true if I can “see” the logistics of the play. \u00a0Many years I’m a bit stumped regarding some portion of the production. \u00a0My idea this year comes from the participation of the youth department at our program in one of our programs. \u00a0Yet, how do I make it appropriate for our other program.<\/p>\n

During my prayer time yesterday, I suddenly knew how the play should be written so that it would be age appropriate and would easily adapt to our other program that does not have youth participation. \u00a0I began working on the play about 6:30am. \u00a0By 9:30am, I was ready to send it to our staff and volunteers for their suggestions and comments.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Then I began working on other deadline projects. \u00a0I was able to complete them all.<\/p>\n

By the end of the day, I was thrilled at the productive time I’d experienced. \u00a0As I crawled into bed, I was pretty satisfied with the accomplishments of the day. \u00a0I prayed, “Lord, thank you so much for the great day. \u00a0I feel your presence and your pleasure because of all the work I was able to do today.”<\/p>\n

Gently, I felt the Lord’s response, “Linda, I’m with you, leading and directing you at your least productive day, also. \u00a0Sometimes I have a greater goal in your life than finishing tasks.”<\/p>\n

Whoa! \u00a0My tired brain soared. \u00a0Of course, it is great to be able to complete tasks. \u00a0But what about the days that you work diligently and nothing is accomplished. \u00a0Is God pleased with your failed efforts? \u00a0Will the Lord honor us, even when we fall short?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Years ago, Johnnie Lord, the wife of well-known Pastor Peter Lord, said that the Lord assured her that he was much more concerned about the intent of her heart than her actual performance. \u00a0While the Bible teaches us this truth, we forget.<\/p>\n

How has God assured you that he loves you even when you don’t “perform up to par”? \u00a0Are you able to pass on to others the same gace and mercy?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yesterday was one of those days. \u00a0For months, I’ve tried to figure out how The Special Gathering of Indian River Christmas play should be written. \u00a0Special Gathering is a ministry within the mentally challenged community. \u00a0Our population learns more slowly than normal; yet they are adults. \u00a0It is important that the play is not only…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":387,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,5,334,464,3,40,186,49,16,8,4,243],"tags":[690,21,688,747,7,699,715,701,694,689,57,6,700],"class_list":["post-2981","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-autism-spectrum","category-christianity","category-christmas","category-christmas-play","category-developmental-disabilities","category-faith","category-hope","category-inspiration","category-intellectual-disability","category-mentally-challenged-community","category-simple-truths","category-writing","tag-autism-spectrum","tag-christian","tag-christianity","tag-christmas-play","tag-developmental-disabilities-2","tag-faith","tag-hope","tag-inspiration","tag-intellectual-disability","tag-mentally-challenged-community","tag-prayer","tag-simple-scriptural-truths","tag-spirituality"],"yoast_head":"\nWork Completed - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/08\/work-completed.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Work Completed - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Yesterday was one of those days. \u00a0For months, I’ve tried to figure out how The Special Gathering of Indian River Christmas play should be written. \u00a0Special Gathering is a ministry within the mentally challenged community. \u00a0Our population learns more slowly than normal; yet they are adults. \u00a0It is important that the play is not only…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/08\/work-completed.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2012-08-15T09:43:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2012-08-16T10:23:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/simplelife\/files\/2012\/08\/Stranger-in-a-manger.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Linda G. Howard\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Work Completed - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/08\/work-completed.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Work Completed - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith","og_description":"Yesterday was one of those days. \u00a0For months, I’ve tried to figure out how The Special Gathering of Indian River Christmas play should be written. \u00a0Special Gathering is a ministry within the mentally challenged community. \u00a0Our population learns more slowly than normal; yet they are adults. \u00a0It is important that the play is not only…","og_url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/08\/work-completed.html","og_site_name":"A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith","article_published_time":"2012-08-15T09:43:35+00:00","article_modified_time":"2012-08-16T10:23:56+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/simplelife\/files\/2012\/08\/Stranger-in-a-manger.jpg"}],"author":"Linda G. 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