Notetaker

7/14/10 I’ve been called lots of things in my day and one of the most common is notetaker. (“Spellcheck” doesn’t like that I’ve made this a compound word, but to me it is just that.) A compound word is made when two words are joined to form a new word. One who takes notes is joined with the notes she takes just by the “doing” ---the action that so defines her. I’m sure that “spellcheck” would let me get away with it if I added a hyphen but I’m in a stubborn mood today and don’t feel like being hyphenated.

Notetaking seems to come naturally to me. I leave my marks everywhere---even in my devotional books and Bible. My grandmother Gena would have considered marking a Bible a travesty, if not sacrilegious but my grandmother, Mama Davenport was at least brave enough to underline in hers. I know, because I use her Bible often---those underlines have given me great insight into her life---which feels like a great privilege to me.

Marginalia in favorite books, from “self-help” and “how-to” to inspirational books and Bible study guides and resource books, is where much of my notetaking occurs.
My calendar looks like one big notepad. This week as I’ve been packing for an upcoming trip I’ve referred to “Big Water” notes from ’07, ’08 and ’09 calendars. It’s the way I know to bring 3 nightlights, not to buy Sam’s potato salad because not many folks ate it, or to be sure and pack a Sharpie® so that those water bottles, that the kids only take a few sips from, can be labeled and refrigerated for later use. (I don’t like that kind of waste----I know because I “noted” that in a journal one time!)
Even atlases and maps have my notes on them----everything from date & “our” time and distances of travel to places to eat along the way, followed by a rating once we eat there.

As many of you know, I often try to color code may notetaking or at least keep it in some kind of order----not on torn off slips of paper that end up here, there and yon. Lately that does not have the order that I like and I’m spending way too much time looking for my “notes.”

I think I’ve gotten more obsessive about notetaking as I have aged---I feel as if it helps me to hold on to the memory that I seem to be losing. I’m sure it gives me some semblance of control---now that’s a real joke.
Sometimes I feel as if I can’t function without my notes and that’s when I know I’ve gone to the extreme. I think I need to branch out and really wing it. Nah---not yet. Nevertheless, I do need to learn to give myself permission not to always have everything together (which I don’t ---I just keep trying) Maybe a blank sheet with none of my notes/directions would allow the Lord to more fully direct my steps. Of course, then I’d probably have to write down His agenda for future reference----you know, just in case I need it.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 says that "whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all of your might"----(I guess notetaking could fit there.) Though later in chapter 12 it says that too many words and writing is vanity and wearying to the body.

I think the real answer is in I Corinthians 10:13, “whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

Even notetaking can be taken to the extreme and have nothing to do with Him----so how do I temper this? Any suggestions from a godly notetaker? This notetaker would love to hear from you.