what’s most important?

I’m in an online course right now and it has me in thought.  What’s important?  What’s not? I hurry so much throughout my moments, I feel like I don’t have enough time in my days, I just want more and more and more and there never ever seems to be “enough”  But it’s all in the way I’m making my choices.  The way I prioritize.  I will have thoughts like “I really want to spend time in the word”  but I must vacuum the dog hair up first, then the washing machines buzzes, need to switch loads, then I see the dirty dishes and think, “I need to clear those up so when we have dinner it doesn’t get too crazy in the kitchen”  Before I know it, my soccer player is calling because practice didn’t run as long and he needs a ride home, then it’s time to grab the cheerleader, then if I’m lucky I can prepare a semi decent dinner before I’m off to do something else, did I squeeze in my 30 minute walk, maybe after dinner I can fit it in, or maybe while the chicken is in the oven I can walk around the school quick. Oh, my gosh I didn’t make my bed, should I make it?  We are just going to sleep in it tonight!   Does it sound familiar at all?

Yesterday I got home from work and I had in my mind I would walk the stairs for 20 minutes, and then I would vacuum, make my bed, do the dishes.  I had it all mapped out in my head.  I walked in and was delighted to see my oldest playing video games on the sofa.  “what are you doing home” I asked “It’s my day off” he replies.  Without even hesitating I ask, “would you like to sit and have some new tea with me” He explains that he will be leaving in about 20 minutes to pick up his girlfriend from school.  I tell him, “that’s all I need, are you in?”  He smiles and says “of course” It was in that moment I realized I was choosing him over the exercise, the vacuuming the THINGS that needed to be done.  Did they really need to be done?  Would the world crumble if I didn’t get to them?  So we had our tea and of course I took pictures.  He laughed and we smiled and he would say “oh, more pictures, we aren’t done?” and we would laugh and smile more.  I’m grateful for those brief moments.  Less than 10 minutes but I made the right choice.

And guess what?  I still had time to walk the stairs, make my bed, and vacuum the house.  I didn’t get to the dishes and I wasn’t able to transfer the load of towels before I had to leave again to go watch my cheerleader cheer at her middle school volleyball game.  But I was okay with it.

Today instead of doing the (morning) dishes first, I’m going to open my Bible and read through my study, if I have time after to do the dishes…..I will.  If not I will recruit the kids when they get home from school for some help.