Last fall I talked about a story James Bryan Smith tells about Rich Mullins. He says that during one of his tours, Rich Mullins would spend the time before each concert with markers and a white board. He’d draw a map of the world and fill in as many countries as he could before the concert. When he was called to go to the stage, he’d write “The world as best as I can remember” and sign it and go sing.

I was thinking the other day about some of the ways probably need to remember our own world.

• I could start every morning by drawing the faces of my family and writing a couple words I remember from my most-recent interaction with them. The drawings would be awful, the remembering  powerful.
• Every night at ten, I could set an alarm to sound to remind me to disconnect here and focus on family and rest.
• As I did several years ago, at the end of a busy season I could sit with my boss and say, “Remind me what your heart for this place is.” This could work with a spouse, a board, or a team. It would also work with a mirror. And my boss would be happy to echo one of Paul’s letters:

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.

• As I start my Sabbath, I could draw a map and put dots by where my friends are, remembering relationships and concerns.
• At noon, I could write out the Lord’s prayer while eating my oatmeal, remembering that daily bread is a daily need.

I need to remind myself to remember. Here are some ways. What are yours?