How to prioritize faith, marriage, family - in that order
Set aside the urgent, for the important.
Between a career, the usual house chores, the running and going for kids and sports, the honey-do-list that seems to never get accomplished, and making time for your spouse …. there is little time or energy left at the end of the day. In this post, we are talking about how to Set aside the urgent, for the important. Let’s dive in on how to be happy.
Before we got married, John and I went to premarital counseling and identified topics we differed on to ensure we understood the points that needed to be discussed. We also learned the arrangement and order of priorities in our family (before we even had one) and work to keep them in this lineup:
God/Faith
Spouse
Children
Extended Family
Hobbies/recreational activities
Now, Let me be transparent: I am guilty of sometimes rearranging this list. I feel that our church life has suffered this year and we are actively working on building back the foundation because when that area is lacking, it shows in every other area. Guaranteed.
Since moving into our new home, I have made sure to keep our schedule on track regarding play time, quiet time, family time… but during quiet time my projects or editing of photos can run into the next blocked out time and it makes me feel selfish/guilty saying, “okay, just give mommy 10 more minutes…” and that turns into like 30 minutes before completing said project.
It makes me miserable and irritable. Mom guilt is real, y’all.
Cheerfulness is a choice.
It’s a decision to practice saying it’s okay, instead of hmm’ing and sighing in frustration
What is in your home, is it filled with stress, conflict? Or is there joy around every corner?
Is there companionship in the kitchen? Corporation in the playroom? Delight in the bedroom?
The right knowledge, truly grasping the inner heart of the other person and understanding what they most need and avoiding what most hurts them is what fills our home with rare and precious treasures.
Set aside the urgent, for the important.
Read that again.
Set aside the urgent, for the important.
When you are having a day, you know the kind: dishes are stacked high in the sink for the second time that afternoon. The kids have been at each other’s throats ALL. DAY. LONG. and you just cannot bear to hear “mom” one more time.
When you just need to finish one more item on your list, then you can sit down and play with them… take a step back and mentally check yourself. Is what you are trying to accomplish truly important? Or is it urgent so you can try and tackle one more thing before bedtime?
Looking for more on How To Master The Art of Quality Time? Check this out!