What matters most?

I can't tell you the number of times I've been standing in line at a store, doing my best to keep my kids from hitting one another or taking down a near by display, only to hear someone tell me, "Enjoy it now. These years go by so fast." I know these strangers have the best intentions and that what they are telling me is true. However, when I've "had a day" it's a little annoying and overwhelming to hear. Tell a crazed mother of a toddler that these are the best years and you'll likely have her crying a river because she believes that this really is as good as it gets.

I love to scrapbook. It's time spent crafting, talking with friends and looking at pictures of the good times. Nobody ever scraps the fight they've had with their husband, a funeral they were at... well some people might but they're kinda strange, or the time their kid woke up decorating the halls with vomit. No, the times you scrapbook are the good times and those that are to be remembered. Every time I look at pictures just a year old, I'm amazed at how much my kids have grown. It really is scary to realize how quickly time marches on. I'm amazed every Sunday that it really has been a week since I sat in my pew and heard the last sermon. All of this reflection got me thinking, what are my priorities?

Take out a piece of paper and a pen. Write down what you wish your priorities were. In a perfect world how much time would you spend with God? What about with your kids and their homework? What about your exercise routine? How much time would you want to spend on a clean house or paying bills. Be realistic and realize that some of these tasks have to stay on your list whether or not you like it. Next, write a list of the things you do everyday. Next to those activities, write down the amount of time it takes you to do these things. Now, list them by how much time they take you, the most amount of time first descending down to the things that take the least amount of time. Compare your two lists. Are the activities you wish had priority in your life really the ones that are most important?

In reality, most of us will admit that our exercise routine doesn't get as much attention as our housecleaning. More of us will admit that our time with God really starts to fall towards the end of the list even though we might want it towards the top 3. What drives you to accomplish the things on your "real" list? Are they set appointments or commitments? Do you write them down on your to-do list? Schedule your day differently. Take your top priorities from your ideal list and schedule those first. Write it down and stick with your plan. Try it for just one week and see how you feel. You might realize at the end that this really is as good as it gets!