Straightening Out Priorities

Oh my goodness - the time is just flying by - AGAIN! How did that happen and what happened to stopping and savouring the moment? The Easter break has been a whirlwind of activity. Things do seem to slow down a bit when the holidays end and we slip back into the routine of lessons. Today is that day :)

My mind has been a chaotic mess of thoughts and distractions of late - I don't do that very well! I need to have space to think and ponder, it's just the way I am. I'm feeling the need to simplify. Nothing drastic, but saying no when I need to say no, not over committing, being able to recognise what is important and what is frivolous.

Fortunately I came down with a wicked cold over the weekend (yes it is fortunate because it MAKES one slow down). I was able to take a bit of time and think through what it was that I wanted to simplify. It's not about making my own cleaning solutions for my home, or canning, stocking the freezer with lots of home baked goodies - those are lovely simple and time-honoured pursuits, but rather in my mind to SIMPLIFY means to realign my priorities. Those things that I say are the most important in my life.

So often we say we have our priorities straight but our daily actions and decisions are telling and often-times tell a different story.

So I had a little think like I said. Things that I have found a distraction lately:

Instagram - for like a whole 3 weeks. I thought I would give it a go and see what all the fuss was about. My conclusion? It's not for me. It's a bit like Facebook was for me, it made me feel awful! I hated that I felt drawn to spending time checking out what people were posting. I deleted my FB account in January and instantly felt a darkness lift from my life. Instagram is the same kind of thing. It got deleted! 

Planner Bits and Bobs - Okay, so you know when you are wanting to revamp something and you do a bit of a google search and find and explosion of people obsessed with the very thing you were looking to revamp? It can be easy to get a little carried away with the mania! I've always been a planner. I love organisation and having all my ducks-in-a-row. My system seemed to have become a little blah! So I did a little Pinterest/google search to see how others planned. OH-MY-GOODNESS!!

The amount of blogs devoted to planners and decorating them, the You tube videos walking viewers through the planner setups, the amount of planners some people have to their name?! I cannot believe that people spend that much money to have various planners lining their shelves. 

I loved the decorated pages and gave it a go for a bit - if I had oodles of time to spend decorating planner pages I so would do it. But really - in the greater scheme of life it's just not that important. My children do not go off to school for hours - I AM the school. I've settled for sticking a sticker or two and some pretty washi tape on my diary insert pages :)

Realigning My Priorities:

* God - my quiet times and prayer life. Time spent studying the Word and applying it into my life. Time spent discipling my children.

* Family - my husband and children deserve the very best I can give them and that means my time and attention.

*  Homeschooling - even though we are in our high school years and there is allot more independent work going on, I need to guard this time so that the work can GET done and make sure that we still are creating precious memories - time is short!

* Home - running a home and making sure that it is a warm, clean, safe haven takes time and attention.

* Others - my extended family and friends are precious to me. I want them to know that they are special enough to warrant time spent with them, a card telling them that I think of them and that they are dear to my heart. Little things :) 

Are you living your priorities? It's easy to let them slip. A little re-jig every-so-often is just what is needed!

Blessings to you all :)