OUTDOOR TRUTHS: Mono-tasking
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The last couple of months have only had a few nice days and hardly any nice ones in a row. This week has been different. March has started off warm and sunny even though a long period of rain is in the forecast. My intentions of perusing the woods to determine last year’s deer activity never came about. That will change almost forcibly. Why? Because turkey season opens in a month and for the first few weeks the leaves will not be in full bloom. I will be able to gain deer information while I’m turkey hunting. And there’s also a third layer. This will also be a good time to look for antler sheds. Not only are these neat finds, but they also give me great hunting information for next deer season. This all means I need to be a multi-tasker when turkey season opens. I often tell people that I’m not a very good multi-tasker. I’m more of a mono-tasker. And while that isn’t totally true, I do function better when there are only two or three things I’m doing at the same time. I compare this to a friend and former colleague of mine. He is a true multi-tasker and great administrator. He shines by getting so many things done simultaneously. We worked well together. I knew what I wanted to accomplish, and he knew how to accomplish it, down to the sickening details. I always noticed the words that the Apostle Paul said. “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.” And there you go. He says he does one thing and then lists two things. And that’s how I feel. I do one thing – everything on my to-do list. See?
The truth is that the Christian life is exactly this way. It’s one thing done in many different ways. Jesus was once asked what the most important commandment was. Out of all the commandments, laws, and expectations that people debated endlessly, He boiled it all down to one thing: love. Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself. Everything else flows out of that. I know it sounds simple and too emotional or (for a man) too feminine. But I didn’t make up the rules. Love is my mini legal pad. And on that pad are a lot of to-dos. If you’re a mono-tasking Christian like me, don’ t let yourself get overwhelmed by all the religious minutiae. Just find ways to love people. Because in doing that, you are loving God.
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■ Gary Miller has written Outdoor Truths articles for 21 years. He has also written five books which include compilations of his articles and a father/son devotional. He also speaks at wild-game dinners and men’s events for churches and associations. Stay updated on Outdoor Truths each week by subscribing at Outdoortruths.org.
