If you've been in the business world at all in the last decade, you've probably seen the demonstration (credit is sometimes given to Stephen Covey) of the rocks, pebbles, and sand. Our principal shared this little experiment one year before school started. Even though we were all adults, it is still amazing to watch.
For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, here is a video link using some other materials, but the concept is still the same. It's a great little experiment to do with your kids too.
But this post is not about a cool homeschool activity. This post is about me needing to find my rocks. I am so frustrated at the end of every day because it seems I never got to about 50 things on my list that I wanted to get to. To look around here at the end of the day, sometimes I want to ask myself, "What did you do all day?"
That's pretty bad.
So this demonstration came back to me today. I made a list of the most important things to get done in school with Sweetheart. If we didn't get all the way down the list, at least the important things got done. And that's exactly what happened. In order, today: Bible, spelling, handwriting (those last 2 get left off SO easily), math, then colonial times, then reading (she reads all the time anyway). I can now rest knowing that even though we didn't get everything done, we got the important stuff done.
I need to do the same thing with housework. With my spiritual life. With the things I do to help my husband. With my time in general. The point is...if I focus on the important things first, there will still be time for the other stuff. I won't be stuck doing "have to" things all day. I will get a chance to do some things I want to do.
So today I'm thinking about my rocks. What are some of yours?
Right now, I seem to have to forgo my workout because of oter random things going on during the day...dentist appointments, volunteering to do something, etc....right now, exercising is number one. We are trying to sell our house and yeasterday, we had a showing request, right when I was about to walk out the door to go to the gym. After a few minutes of picking up I decided to drop what i was doing and go to the gym like planned. Guess what? I got my workout in AND I still had time when I got back to finish cleaning up for the showing!!
ReplyDeleteExcellent thoughts! I am so happy that you felt more accomplished today. I am totally going to write my to do lists with the most important things at the top of the list.
This has been unique year, with both of our boys gone to college and my husband retiring temporarily. We have had NOTHING to do this year, except what we feel like doing, or what we feel we can cope with (it has also been the worst year of our lives, as we have coped with illness, too), and it has been a year of rest and recouperation for us.
ReplyDeleteI blog all day, feel guilty, realize that I don't have to feel guilty, do it some more, do some yard work if I feel like it, rag-rug if I feel like it, clean if I feel like it.
It has been a weird year, this year with nothing to do except what we feel like doing. We feel guilty and useless, but the Lord has shown us that we need this Sabbatical. Things are changing, though. I'm not complaining. It's been neat, in a way. Everybody should have a year like this!
Okay, I am thinking about my own rocks now! Very good post!
ReplyDeleteI tried to leave a comment before but it didn't go through. GRRR.
ReplyDeleteThe gist was that I hear you. Sometimes I get the idea that I'll do it right next time.
Um, I only get this one life. I need to get it right, now! And it seems when I do my WANTS first, they always take longer than I expect, and I don't get other NEEDS done.
Thanks for the encouragement!
Your post on rocks is very timely for me. My Dad taught me this illustration years ago, and God providentially uses events and people to remind me of its truths. Some of my rocks are family time, Bible study time, & household planning time. If I spend a priority on these then the pebbles seem to fall in place better. When I make the rock me-me-me, wow, it's a disaster in all other areas.
ReplyDeleteStill learning, still being refined.