by Manuela Mitchell
As I have become older, I have noticed that I have to be very aware and think harder when it comes to making plans, putting things away or in new places, making sure I have a written grocery list of essentials and posting appointments on the calendar. The times of doing things that I have always been able to do and remember without having to write them down, or even think that hard about, are definitely from the past. It can become very frustrating when I simply forget to do something that I knew I had to do just a few short days ago. Within the past few years, this has happened to me more and more. I have tried to come up with explanations such as, age, health, parenthood, distractions, busy lifestyle, work and diet. I have concluded that all of these things play some role in what I can mentally retain in my life on a daily basis.
As I get older, my life changes in ways that are sometimes out of my control. On the other hand, I sometimes don’t plan accordingly for the activities I have set aside to do. Therefore, I get in a rush and forget to do the simple things that are important and necessary to do before all others. One example of that is prayer. If I wake up late on a day I have to work, that still means getting ready for work, packing lunches, feeding animals, getting my son ready and driving to wherever he is going and then getting myself to work. I will most likely have forgotten something very important–to pray. I will also realize that because I have forgotten to pray, I will forget to do other simple things and not realize that I have forgotten that vital thing until half of my disorganized day is already over.
Recently, I was asked some questions regarding my faith. They were rather simple questions, in my opinion, asked by my co-worker and boss. They pertained to the reason for keeping the Holy Day of Pentecost on God’s selected time. Being Jewish, my boss was observing it on a different day, based on her understanding of the Hebrew Calendar. Our dates did not agree. Immediately, when I was questioned, the Scripture came to mind, “Always be ready to give a defense for the hope that lies in you.” I answered as best I could and in a way that I thought my boss could understand. But after I had more time to think about it, I wished I could have replied in a way that was more detailed. I had simply forgotten how to answer quickly but also strongly, because I had not retained the teaching in the Bible so that I could prove to others my belief.
After that experience, I realized as awful as it is that there have been times when I have simply forgotten to pray, I also need to ask God on a daily basis for my memory to be whole and clear. In accomplishing this I can be more useful in the things that I do daily and be more helpful to the people who are around me. Also, I will become more effective to God.
