Home "Reboot" Challenge #3 ~ About Priorities

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33


"Reboot" Challenge #3 ~ About Priorities
What matters most to you? If we're honest with ourselves, the list of life priorities we would put on paper is probably different from the ones we live out on a daily basis. Anyone else ever made a priority list similar to this one? I have!


1. God
2. Husband
3. Kids
4. Myself
5. Homemaking
6. Ministry
7. Hobbies


The problem with this list is that as a woman, I struggle to compartmentalize my life. Most things that involve my kids, also involve homemaking (like cooking and cleaning up after them!). Because my kids are still little and needy, they often take the #2 spot over my husband at various points in the day. Many of the priorities on my list are interconnected. It's not like you can work your way down the "list" and check it off. "Okay...I got my relationship with God in order, now I'll work on my relationship with my husband..."  It doesn't really work like that.


I was thinking about the topic of priorities yesterday when I was engaged in a Facebook discussion about homemaking. One of my Facebook friends claimed that cleaning was just "a matter of priorities". I would respectfully disagree. 


In my post from yesterday, we talked about putting time with God first in your day...above all else. Doing that takes serious DISCIPLINE. Going to the gym to workout everyday takes discipline. Keeping caught up on the laundry and cleaning takes discipline. The same goes for having a regular date night with your husband. Or turning off the "gadgets" after the kids are in bed to spend quality time together. All of these things require discipline. Cooking healthy meals and following a meal plan takes discipline. For some people, ignoring the housework and playing with their kids--giving them undivided attention--requires discipline. What is effortless for you, might be excruciatingly hard for me. Where I have ample discipline, you may struggle to find enough. 


We each have a unique set of priorities. I can't tell you what yours should look like any more than you can tell me what mine should look like. However, having your priorities in the right order is pointless if you don't have the discipline to live out your priorities. Sarah Mae adds that "all of life is worship to God". How we live out each moment of the day, in Him, gives us countless opportunities to demonstrate worship. Here is some more from Sarah Mae's post today. Read her entire post HERE.

"I can’t separate areas in my life and dedicate all my energy and focus on that area in a ranking order. Life is sort of like juggling; I can’t focus on one ball or all the others will drop. At the same time, juggling isn’t really my thing. The good news is, God doesn’t ask me to juggle my life; He doesn’t ask me to keep each individual ball in the air. He asks me to focus on Him, as a lifestyle, and then everything else will be added to me. 

I’ve stopped thinking in terms of priorities. I now think about going through my days in faith, seeking His wisdom and guidance and being willing to follow.

I don’t have to strive or try and get it all right, I just have to trust that the Holy Spirit is working in me as I lean into Him and obey. As I lose myself in Him, as I unbecome, He does.

And life becomes worship."

Today's Challenges (from Sarah Mae)

Mary Challenge: Write out your priority list, or find one that you have and then write at the top, “All of life is worship to God” and put all your priorities on one line underneath. Put this somewhere that you can see as a reminder that when you seek first the kingdom, everything else will be added.

Martha Challenge: Today is a catch up day. If you have more to do on your closet or in your dresser drawers, take today to do that. For those of you who don’t need more time, your challenge is begin cleaning out underneath your bed. You heard correct. We’re going there. Good “luck!”

_______________________________________________________________________


Thoughts from Ashley
I am going to finish up dealing with the stuff I took out of my closet for sale/donation/trash and continue working on the laundry piles. I will post some before/after pictures of my dresser via the update link directly below. I am going to "catch up" today and not start anything new until tomorrow. 


Update on "Reboot" Challenge #1 ~ Distractions
Update on "Reboot" Challenge #2 ~ Sitting Before Doing


How do you manage your priorities? Do you have trouble trying to juggle it all? Where do you struggle in the area of discipline? I love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below!


Follow along with the 31 Days to Clean "Reboot" at www.sarahmae.com and don't forget to watch her video on yesterday's blog post where she shares that this is more of a journey of the heart than getting a pristine home. I *love* that Sarah admits to not being a "cleaning person" and I appreciate her book 31 Days to Clean: Having a Martha House the Mary Way. You can get the e-book from her blog for $2.50 with the 50% off code "Reboot".