My husband and I were talking one evening about prioritizing our responsibilities and he said something that really struck a cord with me. Very seldom in life do people actually spend time “doing the things that really matter”. A worldview of advancing in career, finances or material possessions is a reoccurring theme in today’s culture. “If I take this job, I can make more money and afford a nicer house, car etc.”. But what really matters? When someone passes away, nobody says, “Oh man! I wish they had more stuff!”. What’s usually desired is more time with the person.
At the end of the day, what is really driving me? In my life, I could break it down into two groups. My faith and relationships. My relationship with Jesus is what is motivating me. How can I embody His characteristics of selfless love and acceptance? How am I furthering the kingdom of God? How am I impacting others around me for His glory?
In my family, friends and acquaintances, how am I engaging with other people? Am I setting aside quality time to spend with them? Is the time I’m spending with them meaningful?
I’m not doing all of this perfectly and I still need to live my everyday life. I wish I could spend all my time making memories, like the hike our family took in this picture but alas that’s unrealistic. Bills need to be paid. (Shout out to my husband for being an awesome provider so I can be a stay at home mom.🙌🏿) Dinner needs to be cooked. Homes need to be cleaned. Laundry needs to be done. Kids need to be taken care of and the errands can’t run themselves.
Sometimes I ignore my kids (and my husband 😬) for meaningless time on social media. Sometimes I don’t spend enough quality time with the Lord. Sometimes I’m not the best listener but by reflecting on what really matters and keeping my personal faith and relationships in mind as I go about daily tasks, it helps me to prioritize my time.
I was watching The Incredibles a few family nights ago (which nobody told me that movie is more hilarious as a parent 🤣) and there is a line where Mr. Incredible tells his wife, “You are my greatest adventure”. 😭 It’s easy to forget the daily “adventure” of investing in your loved ones and close friends. Right now I’m reading the book Everybody Always by Bob Goff. I’ll probably be reviewing it in a future post. In a nutshell, the book is about loving EVERYONE –not just the people that it’s comfortable for you to love. It’s been a great read so far and another reinforcement about the importance of taking time out for other people.
So I challenge you today to put your phone down for a little while and make time for your faith (if you’re a believer), your family, friendships and even hobbies that you enjoy. The things that make life worth living. I promise you won’t regret.
What is something that makes your life worth living? What is something you wish you had more time for? Comment below!