Priorities - Out Of The Mouths Of Babes

When my daughter, Ivey, was two she would play "Mrs. Newsome." She was Mrs. Newsome and she had five babies. Her husband had died - not sure where this came from. I always knew when we were playing because I would hear the front door open, close and then the doorbell would ring. I would answer the door and invite Mrs. Newsome and her five babies in. We would sit and visit for a short while and she would have to go to a meeting at church.

I always enjoyed our visits because you can learn a lot about yourself when you see your children mock you. (I only enjoyed that when they were little!) You would realize some of your sayings and gestures. How you talk to babies. But this day I would learn a lesson from Mrs. Newsome about me!

I asked Mrs. Newsome why she always has to leave. She seemed so tired as she frantically told me she had church work to do! I will never forget that day. You see, I was very very involved and did lots of church work. Honestly, during that time I was tired. I was burned out! It seemed because people knew I would not say no I got lots of calls to do things.

During this time, I was asked to give a talk on priorities at an Emmaus retreat and I shared this story. I was very close to our minister and the next time he called me to ask me to do something I told him no. I told him I had had given that talk on priorities and I had learned that I need to start saying no. He told me he had not sponsored me on Emmaus to say no! We both laughed.

I was busy doing church work. I was so busy attending meetings, taking care of my family, helping others that I forgot what was most important. I had not been nurturing my relationship with God. I was praying and doing my devotional but I was distracted. I was not being still and knowing I was in the presence of God. Psalm 46: 10, "He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;" Because of this I was feeling tired and not renewed.

What I was doing I believed pleased God because they were good things and they were at church. But what God really wants is for us to grow in our relationship in Him. Colossians 3: 2, " Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." He wants us to devote our lives to prayer and Bible study. He wants us to be quiet with Him. This is when we can know His will for us and we will not over stretch ourselves. Romans 12: 2, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."