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“Change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people.”
– Exodus 32:12
Hi. My name is Freddae' and I’m addicted to “To Do” lists. Many have tried to get me to lighten up on these lists over the years but to no avail. Maybe it’s my upbringing in a hard working, rather workaholic family, or maybe it’s my type A personality, but I just can’t quit making lists. You can find them all over my computer, in my purse, throughout my date planner, on my phone (yes, there’s an app for that), in my car…even in my Bible. I have managed to meticulously outline the things I “need” to do in every compartment of my life. I am thoroughly convinced that if I were to ever misplace my lists I would loose my mind - that is until I made another one. Needless to say, I’m a “To Do” list girl.
Recently, I was reading a book of meditations for parents and came across one that had these lists as its central focus. What I found new and interesting was a very simple statement that made me stop in my tracks and reflect on life for a few minutes.
“If you have to live by lists, put ‘Love My Children’ at the top.”
I got to thinking about all the things that usually make it on these lists of mine and realized, quite sadly, that the simple act of loving someone, particularly my friends and family, never makes it on paper. Of course, it’s always there in my mind and my heart, but why don’t I prioritize that on my list? Other things not on my list: pray, journal, spend time with God and read scripture. I guess I just assume these things are givens and don’t need to be written down because “I’ll remember them.” But do I? What if it were as big of a deal to have something interrupt my family or God time, as it is when something interrupts my work or homework time? What if I showed my family and my God that they truly are on the top of any list I could ever write? How would my life be different if the first things on my list or calendar were ways to love, care for, be attentive to and show grace to my family and the One who gave all to save me? If neglect can cause my relationship with God and loved ones to suffer, maybe I should do as Exodus says and “change my mind” about how I got about things. My prayer for you and I this week is that we realize the importance of things and that nothing really compares to the charge we’ve been given to love God, love our neighbors and love ourselves. So revamp your “To Do” list and put what’s really important at the very top.
