First Things First

This week I didn’t do many, actually any, of the things I’d intended to: starting an online spiritual formation course, writing a blogpost a day, recording a podcast about answered prayers, setting up the files for 2024, washing the net curtains, repotting some plants. So why didn’t I? Having revelled in a three-week holiday from my usual routines and responsibilities, I was surprised by a reluctance and an unexpected measure of resistance to moving back to ‘business as usual’. There is of course the saying, “Life is what happens whilst you’re making other plans”, and this week was no exception. However, I decided to draw aside, and carefully and prayerfully re-evaluate my plans through the filter of ‘what makes my heart come alive’ before committing to my personal priorities for this new year.

There’s plenty of helpful resources on the subject of time management in Claude’s coaching studio. I’m blessed to have a life partner who is a master level leadership and life coach. But, this does also mean he gets to witness my daily levels of commitment, or lack thereof 24/7, but thankfully he does so through the lens of love and grace! Unconditional love. Unending grace.  And the very rare frustrated, “Mrs, you’ve got exactly the same number of hours available to you in a day as I do. Yes, you DO!” To which my retort is, “Yes, I do, but I prefer B I G gaps between what I do, so I need 48 hours in a day!!” To avoid being baited into a debate, Claude usually smiles sweetly, and says, “Talk to God about that!” Come on, if God can stop the sun for Joshua, I’m sure He’s got the perfect ‘time plan’ for me!

Delicious reads by amazing authors Marlena de Blasi, Joanne Harris and Barbara Trapido, sourced from Mundy’s Bookshop nearby, have been returned to the overflowing bookshelves. I’ve packed away my baking apron, but my bathing costume and towel are still hanging invitingly on the veranda! Yesterday I wandered into Claude’s office, selected an inspirational sounding book from his bookcase and started flipping through Steven Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. When I got to section about priorities, I decided to slow down and focus.

You may be familiar with the widely known object lesson Covey uses to explain the importance of priorities. Although I was familiar with it, it was a refreshing reminder. If you aren’t, imagine a huge empty glass bottle, a bucket of big stones, and a bucket of gravel. If you put the gravel in the bottle first, it fills a large part of the bottle and the big stones won’t fit in no matter how hard you try to force them in. But, if you put the big stones in the bottle first, and then pour in the gravel, the small pebbles will fit in the spaces around the large stones. 

The glass bottle is a metaphor for our lives: the big stones are our most important priorities; the small pebbles are the less important things. If we prioritise the latter, we won’t have time for the former. If we take care of the essential important stuff first, we’ll be better able to get to everything else, too. Eureka! So, I shall still be baking, and reading, and swimming! I’m almost certain I can see you smiling and nodding your head in agreement. 

The big stones and small pebbles metaphor is a way of getting us to think about our lives. It’s an invitation to sit down, take a good look at our schedules, and schedule time for high priority activities, be they time with the Lord, dates with a spouse, family fun, exercise and self-care, work commitments, holidays, etc.

But it’s equally helpful when thinking about our little choices, prioritising decisions we wouldn’t necessarily think about ahead of time or usually enter into our online diaries.

Every day, and all day long, we are faced with choosing between big stones and smaller pebbles. The more often we choose the former, the more our lives are likely to flourish. I’ve got some thinking and some choosing to do. I’m not going to rush the process. I’m stepping up into God’s best for me!

This year I shall endeavour to always choose the bigger stone in each decision I make, and I’m sure to discover that I do have the time for all the best pebbles in my life and that everything else can fit in too. (Or, that it isn’t needed in my bottle after all!)

I shall read the Word before checking my phone for messages.

I shall have an energising early morning swim before I sit down to write.

I shall write a blogpost before I head to the kitchen and put my apron on to bake.

I shall take an enjoyable book along to read rather than scroll through Facebook while waiting in a queue.

I shall eat my vegetables (just not cooked carrots!) before grabbing more garlic bread!

“Yes indeed, it won’t be long now.” God’s Decree. “Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. You won’t be able to keep up. Everything will be happening at once—and everywhere you look, blessings! Blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills. I’ll make everything right again for my people Israel:

They’ll rebuild their ruined cities.
They’ll plant vineyards and drink good wine.
    They’ll work their gardens and eat fresh vegetables.
    And I’ll plant them, plant them on their own land.
    They’ll never again be uprooted from the land I’ve given them.

God, your God, says so.” (Amos 9:13-15 MSG)

Dear God,

When I get my timing and my priorities muddled and my heart and head are in conflict, You don’t hold my failings and my shortcomings against me. With You as the cornerstonstone in my life, I’m grateful that You promise to redeem even time for me.

Amen

What are the stones in your life?

How do you personally distinguish between your stone and pebble priorities?

How do feel about time being redeemed? (“Things are going to happen so fast it will make your head spin”.)