Monday, June 6, 2011

What's Most Important?

Yesterday at church we discussed a talk given by Julie B. Beck on how we need to have priorities and when we don’t have priorities we will lose sight of what’s really important.

Now I am a woman who loves lists. I love checking off my to-do lists because it gives me a feeling of accomplishment, so of course, when the teacher said there were three types of lists that helped Sister Beck keep her priorities in order, I perked right up.

The three lists are: The Essential Things, The Necessary Things, and the Nice-to-do Things.

Some of the things on her Essential list were revelation, prayer, making and keeping covenants, going to sacrament meeting and repenting every week, going to the temple, giving service, and sharing the gospel. Of course each list will be different for each person, but one thing that struck me was the way Sister Beck approached prayer in her life and its utmost importance. She shared that she took a paper and pencil with her to pray so that she could ask questions of the Lord like, who needs my help? How can I strengthen my family? What do I need to correct in order to be more worthy to receive His spirit? and she knew He would tell her. I had honestly never thought about taking paper and pencil to my prayers. It’s definitely given me a new perspective on what praying could, and maybe should, be in my life.

Her necessary list had things like having a home where the spirit of the Lord could be present, which means she tries really hard to have a house of order. She makes meals, tries to be happy, has family home evenings, has fun with her family, and tries to be self-reliant and debt-free.

The Nice-to-do list included things like crafts, hobbies, recreational reading, travel, and lunches with friends. They are things that give variety to our lives, but aren’t really essential in an eternal scheme of things. (Although I don't know if I agree about the reading and lunches. Reading seems necessary to me and lunches could be building eternal relationships, right?)

Of course the point of the lesson was to keep the essential things as our first priorities and so on.

I’ve been thinking a lot about what items would be on my own lists and I jotted down some ideas in my journal. I think that in my own life there are so many things I want to do and think I can do, but the reality is, I probably can’t do them all. In order to keep the important things in my life from getting less than my best, I think I need to make sure the things I’ve written on my lists stay in the forefront so I can always remember what’s most important in my life.

What would be on your essentials list? Do you make priority lists?

What We’re Doing For Family Night Tonight

Tonight we’re going to talk about the creation from Genesis (there are pictures for it on lds.org that you can access here) We’ll talk about what God created on which day and I’ll have each child with a blank piece of paper and some crayons/colored pencils so they can draw the world as its being created/talked about (and doing a little creating of their own).

Once we’re finished, we’ll do a little quiz like, “Man was created on what day?” “Birds were created the same day as what? “What did God create first?” “What did God do on the seventh day?” “What day was the sun, moon, and stars created?" etc.

Then we’re all going to go out in our garden and work/play together. It’s going to be messy and fun! Of course our FHE treat will be a dirt cake (chocolate oreo cake with gummy worms on top.)

What We’re Having For Dinner

Bacon Wrapped Chicken in the Crockpot

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz sour cream
1 Tbsp flour
bacon slices

Directions:

Wrap one uncooked bacon slice around each chicken piece and put them in the crockpot. Mix sour cream, cream of chicken soup and flour and pour over chicken. Cook on low 6 hours. Serve with rice.

8 comments:

Debra Erfert said...

t's nice to hear someone as responsible at Sister Beck keeps list. I write lists for a slightly different reason--it keeps me sane.

I have three going right now. One is a "To Do" list. It reminds me of those necessary tasks I need to complete before we leave for Utah tomorrow. Another is a "shopping" list. It has continued to grow. The third? I have a list of things to take up to Utah with us. If I didn't keep this particular list then I know, absolutely, that somewhere along the drive I'd remember something important that I forgot to put in the car, and by that time it would be too late to turn around and get it. I'd forget my own head if it weren't attached, and that isn't cliche to me.

Dirt cake? Have you ever had dirt pudding? French Vanilla pudding layered between Cool Whip and ground up Oreos. Then you have Gummy Worms sticking out of the Oreos and it looks like they're coming out of dirt. Yummm. My sons have requested it for their birthdays in stead of cake since they were in single digits.

Julie Coulter Bellon said...

Ooh, dirt pudding sounds divine! Is there a recipe for it? I might try that one for tonight. :)

I'm glad someone else keeps lists. I feel so organized and accomplished when I have one. :)

Debra Erfert said...

1 1/2 packages Oreo Cookies (eat leftovers)
2 large or 3 small Instant French Vanilla Pudding (Jell-0 brand is the best)
3 softened packages Philly Cream Cheese
1 large tub of thawed Cool Whip (any type)
Gummy Worms

Take a package of Oreo cookies; crush them up in a gallon sized ziploc bag with a rolling pin (this is a great way to vent frustration). Some like them finely crushed while others like them chunky.

Stir up packages of Jell-O brand Instant French Vanilla pudding--add equal parts of softened cream cheese (this is the yummy part) blend them together until smooth.

Layer the pudding mixture first, then Cool Whip, then crushed Oreos. Do it again, and then a third time, (if you have room in your dish) ending with a fine layer of crushed Oreos on top. Plant the Gummy Worms so they're sticking up, like they're crawling out, and enjoy! Beware! Once your kids eat this, they may never want birthday cake again.

Julie Coulter Bellon said...

Thanks so much, Debra! It looks incredible! I'll let you know what the family thinks. :)

Debra Erfert said...

;)

Anonymous said...

I LOVE the idea of the necessary, the essential, and the nice-to-do lists. What a smart thing, though! I always get overwhelmed by my lists and if I could better see the essentials being crossed off instead of worrying about the nice-to-do's? That would make me a happy girl.

Heidi L. Murphy said...

I'm impressed. Usually I have no idea what I'm going to make for dinner. When I'm in the middle of writing, it's painful to have to stop and get out of that mindset and into making dinner...sigh. I guess I'm just not as ready for translation as I'd hoped...;o)

Julie Coulter Bellon said...

L.T. that would make me a happy girl too! That's probably why the nice to do's are so FUN to do! haha

Heidi, I love menu planning because it saves me a ton of time and money. And crockpot meals are my absolute favorites because I can put it in in the morning and not worry about it all day and still have a great dinner waiting for me and my family at 6 p.m. When I'm under a deadline that is invaluable! Crockpots are a writer's best friend. (I should make that into a magnet on my fridge or something! haha)

I'm with you about the translation thing though. I've got a loooong way to go . . . :)