It struck me yesterday that Covey's Habit #2 "Begin with the End in Mind" and #3 "Put First Things First" (see entry below) is analogous to Jesus' illustration of the man building a house and laying a foundation on rock in Luke 6:46-49. That is, the man who builds his house on the foundation of Jesus' words (the rock), is setting things aright from the very beginning. The end in mind is a solid house that will weather all storms and troubles. Likewise, a life well lived (well-built, I guess I could say) starts with the fundamentals of God's principles. As I recall a pastor in Berkeley say, "What's your blueprint?"

As I've been running (sometimes feverishly) on the treadmill that is 2L year of law school, I often don't get a chance to sit down and think, What's my blueprint? Am I building on the foundation that is rock, or do I lack a foundation?

I think about the summer I am to spend in NYC and feel at times a little overwhelmed that little me is going to join a huge firm of sophisticated and smart lawyers in a city that is hardly known for slowing down to lend a hand... That is, I've caught myself worrying that I won't fit in. Worrying that I won't be able to keep up or that I won't be able to cut it. That I'll be seen as incompetent, slow, passive, boring, ignorant, nondescript... etc. etc. In short, I've been fretting about the coming winds and floods... before they even get here. Assuming that they even do get here! Worrying about the not-given or not-yet-given!

I forget about the foundation aspect. And I suppose the analogy sorta breaks down here, but... instead I should be looking to either trusting in the foundation that's been laid (that Jesus' words are true and can be trusted and that I've followed them the best I know how and He will provide) or looking to shore up that foundation (re-evaluating if my blueprint is right and if so, have I been building properly on it?)

Either action precludes my worrying about the storms that may or may not come. First, I do trust that the Lord provided this job for me... even though I have doubts about its fit or compatibility. I need to also believe that means He can see me through a summer too! I have no ideas about the long-term plan, but then, when was I supposed to be privy to God's future for me? As for evaluating the blueprint and the building itself, that definitely takes more time and energy than I have to waste on useless (and possibly baseless, I recognize) anxiety.

Problem solved! Gee, I'm so glad I'm so rational. Ha!


**And as a tribute to great junior-high praise songs... I offer to you:

"Don't build your house upon a sandy land
Don't build it too near the shore
Well it might look kinda nice
But you'll have to build it twice
Oh, you'll have to build your house once more.

You better build your house upon a rock
A good foundation and a solid spot
Oh the storms may come and go
But the peace of God you will know."