Getting Ready to Get Ready

I was introduced to the concept of “getting ready to get ready” a few years ago. At the behest of a friend who also has ADHD, I enrolled in a class that offered skills to help those of us with ADHD to better navigate the world around us. To be sure, I have never had any desire to “cure” my ADHD (as if that were possible).  But I knew I needed some different organizational strategies. 

My internal clock is broken

Some of you have flawless internal clocks and have never been late to a single event – unless perhaps you were riding with me.  I am the one skidding into the parking lot on 2 wheels just as things are about to start. Flying is always good for my prayer life, not because I’m afraid to fly. On the contrary, I enjoy the trip once I get on the airplane. But I am usually biting my nails while they look through my bags thinking this will be the time the flight takes off without me.  

Is it possible for me to get ready to get ready?

That’s why getting ready to get ready was such an “aha” moment for me. The ADHD coach told us that we needed to realize that certain preparations have to be done before we can leave the house. So, ideally, one should decide what time to leave and count backwards through the necessary steps to decide when to start getting ready.

Counting down

If I need to get to airport by 10 AM, and it takes me 30 minutes to get there, I need to be walking out the door by 9:15 or so. But given my natural propensity, that may be the time I decide to start packing.  But If I get ready to get ready, I should start my “countdown” in time to grab my keys and bag and walk out my back door in a civilized manner. And have enough gas in the tank to make the trip.  

I know. I know. There are a lot of you shaking your heads at my epiphany. But to me, it was an eye opener. I have to get ready to get ready.

Has anyone seen my sunglasses? 

I now use timers and alarms on my phone to make me aware of the time and where I am in the process. I’m a lot better than I was.  But there are still a lot of times that I just don’t make the proper preparations. I can’t find that shirt that I really wanted to wear, or I have misplaced my sunglasses for the tenth time this week, or it’s winter, and there’s frost on my windshield. You get the picture. I’m a work in progress.

Getting ready to get ready, WWII style

Last month, we commemorated the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion and I purchased the Audible version of the book When the Sea Came Alive by Garrett Graf, an oral history of June 6, 1944.   

One thing that stood out to me was the extent and detail of the preparations for the Allied invasion of Europe, the largest military operation ever executed. I knew the logistics of such a massive operation were complicated. But I didn’t realize that preparations started as early as January 1942, not long after the US entered the war.

Planning to win. Getting ready to get ready 

 Much of Europe had fallen under Nazi domination by this time, and Great Britain had endured ruthless air bombardments. But the Allies (and Hitler) knew an assault on the French coast would be necessary. It was no easy task. 

While the strategists studied maps and photos from aerial surveillance,  the success of the operation depended on the individual units of soldiers, sailors, and airmen. Bombers, paratroopers, boat drivers and infantry all had work together. 

Timing was crucial. Every plane, ship and landing craft had to move in a huge synchronized dance, else the armies could have ended up destroying  themselves instead of the enemy. 

Once more, from the top … 

The participants practiced their assignments until each step was etched so deeply into their muscle memory that fear and fatigue couldn’t erase it. And they waited for their orders. 

When that call finally came, they were ready. History tells us that little about that day was easy. The weather seemed to be firmly on the Axis side. Paratroopers missed their drop zone. Gliders were torn apart by German obstacles.

But time after time training overcame obstacles. And by the end of June 6, the Allied armies held a tenuous beachhead. Many more would fight and die, but the end of the war in Europe had begun.

Put it on your calendar

I’ve already established that I’m not a good planner. I like living in the moment and love the adrenaline rush of pushing the limits of a deadline. I gave more than one teacher gray hairs, and drove supervisors to distraction. 

But, I’m learning to space out my appointment so I have time to pump gas, or get lunch. I have to remind myself that it takes time to get between the parking lot and the office. This may seem rudimentary, but it is life changing for me. 

It was with this mindset that I re-read Paul’s description of the armor of God in Ephesians. I had memorized this passage years ago, and I often end my prayer time asking God for His armor.

The Armor of God

Belt of truth? Check. Breastplate of righteousness? Check. Helmet of salvation? Check. Shoes of peace. Wait. That’s not what it says, is it?

No. Here it is.  “Having your feet shod in the preparation of the gospel of peace. (emphasis mine). Shoes of preparation? What does that mean?

Don’t fight barefoot!

One advantage the Roman soldier had over most of his enemies was that he had good footwear. Some soldiers even fought barefoot. But the Roman soldier fought wearing sturdy sandals with cleated bottoms that gripped the terrain.  

In hand to hand combat,  the person who can stay on their feet has an advantage. And good shoes can make the difference. 

So, how can we make sure that we are getting ready to get ready? How can we make sure that our feet are stable and secure when rough times come?

1. Be aware that you have an enemy.  I have met Christians who seemed a little too obsessed with spiritual warfare. But more often, I meet people who seem unaware that a spiritual realm exists. Peter tells us that Satan is like a lion looking for prey. Be alert. 1 Peter 5:7-9

2. Be sure of your assignment.  I am a talker. I seldom let conversations drag. But an important part of prayer is learning to listen to God. But that means I have to get comfortable with silence and learn to wait for Him to speak. Isaiah 40:31

3. Know your teammates.  God created humans to live in community. Christians need each other. Be an encourager. Don’t be guilty of wounding those you are supposed to be defending. Hebrews 10:25

4. Practice. At the end of each day, ask God to show you how are doing. Let Him point out those painful blind spots so that you can avoid committing the same sins repeatedly. Submit to God’s correction the first time. It’s easier that way. Psalm 139:23

5. Keep standing. The passage in Ephesians ends with the admonition, “having done all, stand firm.” Proper preparation allows us to stand even when it would be easier to run. Ephesians 6:13

Finding time for getting ready to get ready

I wish I could tell you that I am never late anymore, that I have mastered getting ready to get ready. But I have kept too many of you waiting to claim otherwise. 

But planning does help, even for someone like me.   If I  spend a few minutes the night before thinking through the day, and what I might need, I can have my key on the hook by the door and my bag ready to go. 

Getting ready to get ready can change your life.