When my children were younger, I often struggled with trying to do it all: be the super wife, the super cook, the super housekeeper, and of course, the super mom. Invariably, I ended each day feeling like I hadn’t been anything but super failure. I could never seem to fit it all in. It was either get nothing done but play with my kids all day, or get nothing done because my kids were pulling on my shirt or needing me for one thing or another every second of the day.
Fortunately, a wise older mom shared some wisdom with me. She said, “you know, if you fill them up first, you’ll always find enough time for the other things to get done”. She went on to explain that when moms spend their time focusing on all the things they have to do, rarely does anything get done because your kids are constantly vying for your attention. I found her wisdom to be profound. I tried her suggestion and discovered that when I took the time to fill my kids up first by spending some quality time with them and focusing on their need for love and attention, they were all too happy to then play by themselves for a bit while I threw in a couple loads of laundry, vacuumed, and tidied up the kitchen.
I’ve also discovered this wisdom applies to my spiritual life as well. I can get so caught up in the things I have to do, it’s easy for me to put spending quiet time alone with the Lord at the bottom of my list as the last thing I do before bed. I’m sure you can relate that at the end of a busy day, sitting quietly reading and praying isn’t very productive when my body just wants to sleep once I finally sit down. And, just like when my kids were younger, as I reflect back on my day, I still hadn’t accomplished everything that needed to be done. However, if I take my own advice and remember to put first things first, that is, fill myself up first with the Lord and make him my first priority, He then helps me to prioritize the rest of my day and focus on those things which are truly important and need to be done. I am then able to end the day feeling accomplished and satisfied.
Try filling them up first, and see if you, too, end up being filled as well.