Pursuing Christ-glorifying priorities

At the beginning of the year about the time I (re)started blogging, I was thinking about priorities and how they contribute to excellence.  Funny how certain things continually resurface.  After a few hiccups, I think things are finally starting to fall in order again here at our little home, but it's crazy how easy it is for things to get out of hand (sin and the second law of thermodynamics in action, I guess).

When it comes to priorities and managing my home wisely, I think the difficulty lies in the fact that too often, what ought to be done at a given moment is really not what I want to do at that moment. But yet, if I want to keep things moving in the right direction I need to keep my priorities in line with what God would have for me, and consistently choose the right "next thing" to do.  Persevering in choosing the right "next thing" can be hard for me, especially if that "next thing" is to clean the tub, or to start dinner when I'd really rather have some computer time.

I originally had high hopes for multiple posts a week here at Excellence, Etc., but I'm afraid if dinner won't be ready on time, or my home is not orderly, or my son needs attention I can't really glorify God by sitting down to write.  It's just a hobby for me, so it falls pretty low on the priorities list.

In their proper place, I believe that some hobbies can be Christ-glorifying, refreshing, and edifying, but how do you  fit hobbies and things you enjoy into your already full day?

I've been trying to be more efficient at keeping my house clean (which is the biggest time sink/area of avoidance for me) as well as planning further ahead by starting dinner early in the afternoon.  This way, when Baby sleeps longer, or I somehow have some "extra" time, I'm caught up on the essentials and can sit down at the computer and have some time to write without having neglected my higher priorities.
 
Have you found any ways to be more efficient so you can have time to do some "optional" but enjoyable activities?  I'd love to hear any other ideas about how you keep your priorities in order!

motherhood, a lesson in thanksgiving

More than anything else I've experienced in my life, motherhood has shown me the need to start the day (and night!) with an attitude of humility, knowing that I don't deserve anything good, and that all good things I do receive (and there are many!) are a gracious gift from my Heavenly Father.

I think the reason motherhood highlights this for me is the frequency and intensity with which my desires are thwarted.  Babies are just so needy and, at times, unpredictable.

Baby has finally started sleeping through the night again, but there was a period over the last few months where we were travelling on and off, he was teething, and then we were sick, so he was definitely not consistently sleeping through the night.  When I was needed, I'd get out of bed, assess his needs, attempt to meet his needs, comfort him back to sleep, and then crawl back to bed myself.  This got old rather quickly, and my heart would start to grumble, telling me that I deserved sleep, or wondering why it was always my "turn" to take care of Baby.

One morning after my heart had been particularly grumbly, I took the time to sit down and study and remind myself of what God had to say in the Bible about grumbly hearts.  It struck me that this attitude really all comes back to the idea of what I deserve.

The reality is, as much as I'd like to think otherwise, I don't deserve anything good, since I am by nature a child of wrath (Ephesians 2).  (This attitude sure fosters humility, doesn't it?!) Yet, God gives me many good things (life! a son! rest!) (James 1:17).  God is always good, even when life interferes with my personal desires, and my attitude ought to reflect this magnificent goodness.

When we cultivate this attitude of humility--because the good things we receive are gifts, and not something we deserve,  it becomes oh so much easier to be thankful in all things and to replace our grumbly hearts with happy hearts!

Priorities.... and the home

In continuing to think about priorities, I’m reminded about the need for excellence.  Without excellence, it would be all too easy to float through life thinking of priorities as a sort checklist to complete each day.  I’m particularly convicted of the need for excellence when it comes to caring for my home.  I can think of caring for my home as a duty that must get done (speaking of which, I must vacuum today, the floors are nasty!), or I can choose to think of caring for my home as a privilege and part of my vocation as a wife.  If we adopt the later view, taking care of our homes can become a joy which will in turn bless others. 

When we view caring for our homes as a priority and we think of carrying out this duty as a joy and privilege it is easier to excel at taking care of the home.  It is important to take care of the home whole-heartedly, as if we were taking care of our homes for Christ (Col 3:23). 

Perhaps one way to excel at taking care of the home is to not simply keep the home tidy and clean, but to pay attention to the little things that contribute to making a house a home.  When we think of tending to our homes, do we think about what would make our home welcoming? Perhaps yummy scents? A light left on in a corner, or the porch?  Of course, if we have toys strewn over the floor and laundry occupying most of the couch, tidying the home would take priority.  But, if excellence is our goal, we must not settle for a home that is simply tidy.  What are some ways you prioritize your home?

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious...”

As a new parent, I am starting to see several weaknesses that I had first became painfully aware of as a new wife start to resurface again in my life.  Perhaps this sanctification process is one reason God give us children when he does...

Lately, naps have been more of a challenge for the little one.  The other day, most of the morning had gone by without a nap (mind you, this is the baby who has previously been napping fairly well 4 times a day), the afternoon came and it was nap time again.  I was so happy, Baby went to sleep quite quickly, and I was sure he would be so tired from the morning that he would sleep for a good several hours.  I had just started working on the dishes when I heard him waking up, surely, he’s just rolling over and will settle back down... it’s only been 30 minutes. But a few minutes went by, and instead of settling back down the cries became louder, and the grumbling cries in my heart started growing louder too.  The little one clearly needed some attention, but I wanted him to figure it out himself; he’s fallen asleep and stayed asleep many times before, why couldn’t he do it today?  I felt particularly unmerciful and ungracious towards my baby at that moment, but then it hit me, as a parent, I’m supposed to model God’s love to my children, and I certainly wasn’t doing a very good job of modeling his compassion and grace.

Psalm 103:8, 13-14 says,
"The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. ...
Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
For He Himself knows our frame;
He is mindful that we are but dust."

How thankful I am that God is compassion and gracious with me!  Is it really too much to ask that I show my son the same?  I don’t even know how many times I commit the same offense, even after I have “learned my lesson.”  What a comforting thought, that even though God is the creator of the universe and holds all things together, he remembers that I am made of dust and He knows what I am capable of.  This reminds me that I ought to remember that my son is just a baby, that he needs help with most things, and that it should be my pleasure and joy to comfort him and show him first hand the great compassion and mercy that God has lavished on me.    

With this new attitude, our afternoon improved dramatically.  The little one was still needy, and I don’t think we ate dinner on time, but mommy’s attitude was much better.  How wonderful it is that God is compassionate and gracious towards us, and that we have the opportunity to model this to our children!

Priorities

At the start of a new year I often find it useful to reevaluate my life and think of areas that could use more attention.  I like to think through all the facets of my life (chores/relationships/responsibilities/desires) and then to apply a filter of priorities.  There are many things that are important, and many many things that try and woo my time and attention--but yet, not all of these things are of primary importance.  As much as I would like to think I can be everything and do everything, I can’t.  Being a limited human necessitates that I forgo what could be good for what is better-- I must prioritize. 

The scary thing is that even if I’m not consciously prioritizing my days, priorities will still emerge since some things will get done and other things will not.  Unfortunate though it may be,  these de-facto priorities usually do not end up being the best priorities.  De facto priorities are often selfish and will usually put the tyranny of the urgent over the importance of the eternal.  Because I want my life to matter and my days to not simply disappear, prioritizing is a must for me!

Our sweet pastor’s wife outlined a general framework of priorities for us young moms to think through when ordering our days-- this framework has morphed into my priorities filter. Here they are in descending order of importance:
    God
    Husband
    Children
    Home
    Church
There are good, biblical reasons why each of these categories are on the list, and the position they hold.  But, I am not writing a treatise on priorities, and this post is getting long.  By thinking through this filter regularly, I hope that putting first things first will become more of a second nature to me.  Perhaps even, with practice, the de facto priorities will start to fall in line with what is best and most pleasing to God.