priorities

I love making lists. There is just something about making a list of things that need to be done, and being able to check things off. There is some sort of weird satisfaction in it. They also keep me organized. I feel like I am too young to be so forgetful but if I don't write things down... poof their gone. Anyhow, I make lists for what were going to eat for dinner, what needs to be bought at the store, the weeks cleaning, or lists in my planner about things that need to be done for the day. The other day I was talking to my mom about this and made a confession to her. (I'm full of confessions lately with my previous post about being an emotional eater) Here it goes Confession #2 I told her that Monday morning when I woke up I already had quite an extensive list in my planner. "Time to get going." I said to myself. Here was the list

Exercise
Read Scriptures
Clean bathrooms
vacuum
work on preschool lessons
Call Orenco about kindergarten questions
Call Oregon Virtual Academy with questions
Make Bread
Smile

The day was a busy one and I felt very busy and productive. At the end of the night everything on the list was crossed off with great satisfaction accept one.

Read Scriptures.

It has been on my mind all week. Why is it that as a busy mom I feel like cleaning my bathrooms and making phone calls take priority over scriptures. I think that it is a mind set that I have let my self slip into. I usually leave my reading to right before bed when I am so tired from a long day and I just skim a few verses to just "get it done." I read a quote in the Ensign yesterday that really hit home to me.

A testimony's Core
"Personal, sincere, involvement in the scriptures produces faith, hope, and solutions to our daily challenges. Frequently reading, pondering, and applying the lessons of the scriptures, combined with prayer, become and irreplaceable part of gaining and sustaining a strong vibrant testimony."
Elder Donald L. Staheli March 09' Ensign

It made me realize that each day my goal is to create a home where my children can thrive. I spend time reading to them, making meals, cleaning bathrooms, making homemade bread, snuggling, teaching and disciplining. Taking the time to really ponder and apply the teaching found in the scriptures, conference talks and church magazine are only going to help me be a better mom. With all of the scary things that are out there for my children, I need all the help I can in strengthening my testimony to help me be a more "in tune" mother. To be more aware of the needs of my family and to be able to navigate the tough decisions and situations we may/will face as a family. Some days I do better than others, as we all do, but it was just an interesting realization of priorities in my life.