Living According to My Priorities

In order to fulfill my resolution to post once a week, this is going to be a short one. We'll save the longer one about our recent Lopez trip for a less crazy week {pretty please don't squelch my dream that next week will be calmer than this one}.

I subscribe to the Proverbs 31 Ministries daily emails, and it's amazing how often the message is exactly what I need to hear. "Who's Setting Your Priorities?" by Glynnis Whitwer was no exception. It was about how technology, like cell phones, email, social media, etc, can not only be distracting, but can hijack one's priorities for the day.

Glynnis Whitwer writes,

"A typical day starts with checking some sort of communication device to see who might have emailed, posted or texted. Then, before we begin to handle what’s most important to us, our day begins by responding to what’s most important to others. 

Without a concerted effort to stop this pull, we are drawn into the day’s rushing current like a tiny raft on a whitewater river. And rather than being proactive, our days are spent in reactive mode...

...After years of shortchanging myself and my family, and often dishonoring God with disobedience, I realized I had things upside down! Things that mattered least replaced things that mattered most in my schedule. And work that would make the greatest impact on my life often fell to the bottom of my lists, then transferred to the next list until I either completed it with a fraction of my ability or abandoned it entirely."

Let's read that last bit again: "And work that would make the greatest impact on my life often fell to the bottom of my lists, then transferred to the next list until I either completed it with a fraction of my ability or abandoned it entirely." 

Wow. Do I want to be spending most of my time on the things that I don't actually really care about? Of course not. But how often is this the reality of my life? Scrolling endlessly through my Facebook newsfeed. Following the rabbit trail of blogs and articles (even really good ones!). I look up and an hour has gone by. Who is setting my priorities anyway?

The answer should be me.

One of the reflection questions from "Who's Setting Your Priorities?" reads: What priorities in your life do you wish you invested more of your time into?

My answer is simpler than I would think:

I wish I would invest my time in blogging, writing, playing with Mr. D, making good food for us, keeping the house tidy and welcoming. I want to have more time for the people in my life, and be rooted in a strong relationship with God.

Faith.            Family.             Home.               People.             Words.

These are my priorities. It's time to put them on the top of my list.

 

Showing Up: A Reflection on Baptism

The first shall be last, and the last shall be first. 

Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, 
you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Photo Credit: Josh Dietrich

Almost four months have gone by since this picture was taken. Four months in which many other photos were taken that could rival this one for cuteness (the Awww...Factor). Yet, I keep this photo as my desktop background.  Every time I look at it, I feel this sense of awe. The expression on Mr. D's face is priceless. He doesn't seem quite sure what to make of all this attention.

What are you guys looking at? 

Because everyone in this picture is looking with attention, joy, even admiration at my son. And why? Has he done anything that exciting? What has he done that merits this sense of pride and awe?

Nothing.

Yet we beam with joy. Our eyes glisten. Other children watch in the wings, as this baby is made new in Christ.

All he had to do was show up, and grace was poured over him, a seal was placed on his soul, and his heart forever belongs to the One who so delicately formed him.

All we have to do is show up. And let grace (and God) do the work.

I am Enough

Today I'm celebrating because I am Enough.

When I walk into Nordstrom's in my second-hand, years-old clothes...I am Enough!

When I accidentally spill tonight's dinner all over the floor...I am Enough!

When I completely forget an appointment at work...I am Enough!

When I haven't gotten anything done today, because it's just been one of those days...I am Enough!

I am Enough. Not because of what I have done or not done. Not because of what I look like or what I'm wearing. Not because someone else validates or affirms me. I am Enough because of WHO I am. I am a child of God. I am worthy. And can you keep a secret? So are you. You may not feel like it. You may shake your head, and say, No, I am not. And, let me tell you, I have been there. The truth is, sometimes I'm still there. I shake my head, and the tears fall, as I let the word "Enough" glide off and fall to the floor. But the truth remains.

We are Enough. 

When was the last time you reminded yourself that You are Enough? Isn't it time?

The Enemy of the Good

I just started listening to the podcast "Happier" by Gretchen Rubin, of "The Happiness Project" fame. The very first episode talks about the difference between Maximizers and Satisficers. Maximizers are always looking for the best choice among many options, while Satisficers choose whichever option meets their criteria, and then move on. Can you guess which one I am? Let's see if you can tell by the following scenario that plays out all the time for me:

Hmm, I just colored my hair. I guess I need a new shampoo, right? I wonder what shampoo I should get? Well, let me do some research on the best shampoos for colored hair...okay here's a Top 10 list...Fast forward ten days later at store. I pull up the list on my phone (does anybody else have a million windows open all the time?) and select the cheapest option.

As a Maximizer, I tell myself that I won't settle for anything less than the best. I tell myself that I really should know everything about a decision before I say yes or no. So my walls are bare, waiting for me to fill them with the perfect pictures. My blog sits inactive (last post three months ago!) because I don't have the perfect idea. I joke that if it were up to me, we would still be looking for a house.

But the reality is, sometimes you don't have the perfect picture, the perfect idea, the perfect house. As Voltaire said, "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good." This has been a theme in my life for a reason. I need to let go of my idea of perfection, and be okay with good enough. Because, while I'm waiting for the perfect solution, life is swiftly passing me by.

So which are you? A Maximizer or a Satisficer?

P.S. Bonus points if you can guess what my husband is.