Hello, My Name is Joe
Posted in Once I Was a Kansas Girl and tagged with Busyness, God, School, Work on October 13, 2008
Did you ever sing (or do your children ever sing) “Hello, My Name is Joe?” Joe works in a button factory, and his boss keeps asking him to press more and more buttons. Eventually, he runs out of ways to press the buttons and tells his boss he’s busy when his boss asks.
Sometimes I feel like Joe. I have lots of buttons to push. No problem, I can take this class. Of course, I can teach this lesson. Sure, I can write this letter. No problem, I can blog about that. Of course, I can clean this. You need me to babysit on that date? No problem. Sure, I can help you with that.
If I get too far behind in one area, I’ll stop everything to get caught up there. But then I’m behind somewhere else, so I drop everything for that, too. And then 2 more areas that I’m slacking in will come to my attention. All the makings of a comedic sketch.
It seems like there are always buttons that need pushing. It doesn’t seem like a matter of overcommiting, though sometimes that IS my problem. Though I generally don’t have a problem saying no if I need to.
Rather, I need to work on priorities. Some things are simply more important than others. I’ve been working on this by writing a list at the beginning of the day with everything I’d like to get done, plus a few that are merely wishful thinking. The list is written in priority order. That way I can just start at the top of my list and go down. This helps me not get so overwhelmed because I’m simply tackling one things at a time. At the end of the day, I may have only half of my list done, but at least it was the important things.
The lesson that I seem to be learning over and over again is that God gives me enough time to accomplish what He wants me to accomplish. I just need to take time to listen to His guidance as to what that is, and leave the unfinished business in His capable hands.
October 13th, 2008 at 7:57 am
Great post! And yes I have heard that song. It’s one of my kids favorite ‘scout’ song.
Great message in prioritizing.
Have a great day!
October 13th, 2008 at 8:56 am
Never heard the song, but definitely know the feeling. Sounds like you are right on track :-)
October 13th, 2008 at 9:01 am
I know the song, but I think I more often feel like the button getting pushed rather than Joe!
October 13th, 2008 at 9:26 am
I’m out of the loop about the song…
but sooooo with you on the everything else.
I make lists. I think that is part of my problem. I spend so much time making lists. Then I can’t find the original and have to make another. Before I know it, I am looking all over the house and through a plethora of lists to find the one that I need for that instance.
Sigh.
I need a nap.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:08 am
I could really take some lessons from you. I have difficulty saying no and am often overwhelmed.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:28 am
Have you been reading over my shoulder? I am posting about something very similar to this subject later this week (I’m using that neat scheduling feature that blogger has).
Yes, I feel like Joe. But like you, it’s not a matter of over-scheduling…it’s just not managing my time wisely.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:41 am
I don’t know that song, but I know that feeling! When I was working I felt like I was always behind, either it was one of the 1000 things at work or neglecting my friends, or housework or worst of all, my husband.
I tagged you for an easy meme!
October 13th, 2008 at 11:37 am
This is similar to my post for today…but yours is better!
Thought of you on Saturday…I’m sorry your team lost. It’s happened to the best of us this year. What a wild and wacky season we’ve had thus far!
October 13th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Great post–and fyi I sing that song all of the time–I think I just sang it last week in my head. haha I’m glad I”m not the only one who knows that song!
October 13th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Great post! Thanks for the condolences on my sunburn :( I was yelling loud for you!! I was thinkin’ what a stinker for the one game for you to get to watch this year…and we lose. Ah well. Still fun :) Hope you have a great week…I’d pack you if I could :)
October 13th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
When I was in high school I recall reading this article about the Italian postal system. They were so overwhelmed with mail. It was making them all crazed. So, they took a week off. And then when they came back on the job, they got rid of all the mail. And started over.
Can you imagine??!!
When I get overwhelmed, I just think about Italy. And it usually provides a much needed smile. And I can get back to tackling my list.
Either that or I play Cleopatra, queen of de-nile…and blog.
October 13th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
we did that song at camp growing up! hahaha! I feel like there are always buttons to catch up on at home. Where’s my “Easy Button” for laundry, or housework, etc???
good post.
October 13th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
I totally clicked over from What a Card’s blog list to see if you were talking about the button factor song :)
Used to sing it all the time! And, now like you – live it ;)
Thanks for the song memory :)
October 13th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Just found your blog on the SITs blog. I love it!
It is true – there are a million buttons.. the problem is deciding which one to push first :) I love pushing the “let’s eat cake” button :)
October 13th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Well you just let me know if you ever (EVER!) reach those wishful thinking items on your list. Thank you so much for stopping by my blog and saying hello. I notice you were a featured SITS site recently.
And as I’m commenting here, I see your next post is about Toilets which is funny because my previous post was about, uh, well it was about…um. Pee.
October 13th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
I too feel like I have a lot of buttons to push but I like how you ended the post. God will help us push the right buttons. Nice way to think about it.
To answer your question, even though Hayden was big the babies all together were bigger. Almost 16lbs to be exact.
5.2lbs, 5.12lbs and 4.3lbs
October 13th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
we love that song…one of favorites to sing while camping.. Hubs even joins in!
And hey, you have your priorities straight. Your last sentence, was spot on! Keep up the good work.
October 13th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Oh this is such a good post. I have to spend my time more wisely more often than not. I think about what I do with my time that takes away from what He wants me to do. This is a good reminder. ;-)
~melody~
October 13th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
Yep, I often forget that it says what HE has accomplished, not what I want to….you are preaching to the choir, my friend!!
October 13th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Amen Sister.
A lesson I am learning too. Just commented to a friend today that I sometimes forget the two letter word and the meaning of it. Then I find myself bogged down with to much to do.
October 13th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
love,love,love lists too! And making sure I get my “Jesus time” in first so it never gets pushed to the back :)!
And my “Joe” worked down at the knob factory!
October 14th, 2008 at 8:39 am
Great post! I often burn a both ends of the wick. I’m pushing buttons and my buttons are being pushed! Hey, off topic. Do you know anything about Party on the Block this year?
October 15th, 2008 at 8:43 am
I know that song well. And it’s a great idea what you do with the list, priorities and wishes.
October 15th, 2008 at 11:00 am
At my church over the summer my ladies’ group studied the book “Loving God with all Your Mind” by Elizabeth George. She talks about writing down your to-do list at the beginning of the day– your “Plan A”– and then praying through it. And then she says to pray and give God “Plan B”– which is the plan your day will take and might be very different than the day you had planned for yourself. She basically said to be prepared for the curveballs that life will undoubtedly throw at you, because in the end THAT is what was God’s perfect plan for your day, even if your list didn’t get done.
It’s just a good reminder for me, thanks for bringing that up in my mind again. :)
October 15th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Don’t know the song, but I do know the feeling. I usually liken it to being a hamster on a wheel, running my tail off and getting nowhere.
God gives us guidance every minute of every day. Most of the time, we’re just too busy (stupid) to listen.
Thanks for writing this post. On a day when I ran around like a crazy woman trying to do a million things, I needed to be reminded of this.
Thanks for visiting me on blogathon day. Wasn’t that awesome?!
October 18th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Amen. I’ve been going through this lately too (really since the summer). Nothing goes smoothly unless He’s got a hand in it. I really need to remember that since I’m homeschooling.
October 18th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Coming to you via BPOTW. I hear you on priorities. I am the queen of list and it is the only way I can keep things straight.