My life may seem over-full to some folks, but usually I've
got margins built in. The plates keep spinning and life is under
control. But throw an X-factor or two in there and it can get pretty
tight.

Take yesterday for example. We've been trying to get 74
orphans in Haiti to safety and have needed the international press to
help us highlight the dire situation there. My friend Dave Iglesias had
connected me to a top news reporter who would do that for us. And I
expect him to run the story today. But we needed to make sure that the
news didn't hit before the kids were safe.

Meanwhile,
I was going to spend the day in Atlanta. A couple of appointments there
capped by dinner with three of my children and a play. I had enough
time in the morning to work out, get my email and rush off.

I was driving my Taurus through an intersection when suddenly **BAM! CRUNCH!** an elderly gentleman turned left
into my driver's side door. No airbags deployed and I was OK. I pulled
over and talked to a witness who confirmed that it was his fault.

Walked over to the other car and they were pretty
shook up. Called 911. Called family. Called office. Police arrived.
Checked insurance. Wrecker came. The woman passenger who was shook up
was concerned her husband was maybe having a stroke. He wouldn't listen and wouldn't go to the hospital. Emily and I prayed with her. She cried tears of gratitude.

Fortunately, there was slack in my day. My
appointments in Atlanta pushed back an hour. Things continued as
planned. Met the kids and we had a great evening. Met Bob Mudd after the
play and we coordinated Haiti issues and our lives. And, knowing that
I'd be too tired to drive home, I'd asked Seth jr. to accompany me and drive back.

Granted, not a typical day, and the surprise
accident didn't help, but it worked because of the slack I'd built in.
Most of us lead too-busy lives. We need to find ways to build slack in.
This book called Slack: Getting Past Burnout, Busyness, and the Myth of Total Efficiency can help.

How maxed out are you? Jesus modeled times of
going full speed modulated by times of reflection and prayer. Do you
need more slack in your life?