The first day of school each year, the Mother’s Club (much like the PTA) at my son’s school, hosts their first meeting with great pomp and circumstance. It is pretty wonderful! Unlike the normal monthly meeting (that I try to attend with my two-year-old in toe), the first meeting of the school year offers free babysitting in addition to the wonderful food and awesome devotion time.
The speaker the past two years is a local pastor that I have known the entirety of my 14 years in this community and I not only have a great deal of respect for him, but also think he is hilarious! (If you know me, you know humor is pretty high on my list of amazing qualities people should possess.)
As he closed his devotion, kicking off our year theme - “Fully Devoted” (Acts 2:42), he put out a challenge. He encouraged us to ask our kids - without coaching, what they thought mom and dad’s top three personal priorities were?
So, I did.
So, I did.
On the way home from school that day, I asked Caleb that very question.
Here was his answer:
Here was his answer:
- Us (our family)
- Dad: Sports Mom: Hallmark Channel
- God and Money (apparently 3 was not enough)
He let me know they weren’t in a particular order, and even though 2/3 were on point with what I want my life speak about my priorities, I was really hung up on the other two mentioned.
In my effort to demonstrate value of things and how to properly care for something, I inadvertently made money a higher priority than it should have been. Money doesn't matter, people do!
I do like watching Hallmark Movies and my husband is a Sports fanatic and there is nothing wrong with that, but what really got me was this:
I didn’t want Hallmark to be in my top 3 but I also was perplexed because I didn’t have a definitive answer for what I wanted to replace it. I could think of about 10 things to choose from but still struggled to know exactly what I desired to be number 3.
Some of the contenders for that third spot might be: Physical Fitness, Healthy Eating, Caring for the Needy, Serving Others, Encouraging Others, Singing, Theater, Dance - but not TV!
As I came on it, I realized I want my kids to see me loving on people! That is what I am called to do as a Christian but its also hardwired into me to love people. Life is hard and we all need extra encouragement and love. That means I need to change a few things around so people come before a good movie on Hallmark.
I can't be alone on the misplaced priority train. So now the ball is in your court. This is a great question to ask whether you have kids or not. Regardless of intention, you are leaving a legacy. There is no choice in this, but you do have a choice in the legacy you leave. Are you someone who lives with intention? Are you spending your time in areas that matter to you or are you wasting precious hours? Is it time for some self-evaluation in these areas? What do people know you for? How would your family and friends answer the question I asked my son?
If you don’t get the answers you were hoping for, then it is time to make some changes. Find out what you are aiming for then decide what activities are distracting you from your course and need to be altered or eliminated.
If you got the answers you were hoping for - great! Help others to live up to their potential. I don’t believe in reincarnation, so this is the only shot I get at life. Who will join me in making the most of the years you have left?
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