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I am tempted to discuss this a little. I am tempted to give examples of how we can simplify. I am tempted to offer suggestions and even share how I need to simplify in my own life. But the thing is – this is personal. How we allocate our time – how we consecrate our time – is a very personal thing, isn’t it?
So I’ll just leave this thought with you in hopes that we can all take this wisdom to heart and sincerely evaluate how we spend our time. Something that you might find interesting, is that Belle S. Spafford said this sometime during her service as a women’s leader for our Church between 1945 – 1974. Long before this time that we’re in now. Women of the world needed that message in her time and I would say that we need this message now, more than ever.
Part of cultivating a good life is putting first things first.
I LOVE this!!! thank you, Becky for sharing!! I’m always trying to simplify…it can be a BIG job!! I’m printing this out to put on my desk as a reminder!! Thanks!
Tina
WOW! I love it! Thank you for sharing….now I need to get to work at applying that!!
Thank you so much for the printable. I read this a few weeks ago in the new RS history book (or whatever it’s really called!) and was also amazed at how applicable this was to my life today. Thanks!
I have done this in my life and it is wonderful, i look at some people i know and wish they could do it too. There are many ways to say No to things without offending.
Thanks for encouraging others to do the same.
Actually, Becky – I think a lot of readers would welcome a discussion on this! While I think the things we put first IS a very personal decision its also nice to learn about what others are doing to put first things first – whether it be family, self, God, career, etc. I think as mothers we all probably put everything else before ourselves and we all struggle to find that balance where we don’t feel like a slave to everything else. I don’t think many of us struggle with knowing what to put first but we struggle with knowing WHICH balls to drop in order to put the most important things first….and we can learn a lot from each other on how to do that! Lastly, knowing that you are struggling with some of the same things all of us are kind of makes you just a little more human to all of us!
In September, I copied a quote from Ali Edwards’ blog, Author Unknown, that in effect said what you do with each day is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for those activities. When put in that context, how I spend my time took on a completely different meaning. I can’t say that I’ve done a great job since then of prioritizing what needs to come first, so thank you for the reminder to do just that. Enjoy this precious day.
So applicable in my life right now, although I don’t think eliminating children is the answer. Thank you for the inspiration.
This is so very true, and something that has been heavy on my heart this year. I am trying to be mindful of this each day when choices have to be made. First things first! I think this is a very important part of cultivating a good life. Too many things we spend time and money are not as important as we may think they are to us or our families. Thanks, Becky, and keep up this conversation!
I only have your old CK email otherwise I wouldn’t say this here, but I just wanted to say thanks again for inspiring such a great tradition.
http://www.allisonkimball.com/my_weblog/2011/11/gratitude-poster.html
as always … thanks so much for strumming the heartstring that needed a helpful tug today.
Simplify was my ‘One Little Word’ for 2011 and I have to say that there are several things in my life that I learned were not as important as I once thought they were (and I’m glad to have said ‘good-bye’ to them) and several things that I am SO very glad I devoted my time to. I’m learning to live more in the moment and I am SO VERY thankful for that! It is an on-going thing but my way of thinking is evolving.
Thank you for the printable Becky. This is so true for me
AMEN.2
I am loving the “Daughters in His Kingdom” book, too! Thanks for the printable.
LOVE LOVE LOVE this message.
Thanks Becky.
hmmm. keep thinking this says iphone and simplify….
Thank you do much from the bottom of my heart for sharing this. YOU are a blessing in my life via your blog. You have come into my life with these gentle reminders to cultivate a good life in whichever way it may affect our lives. My struggle in simplifying is in not knowing or willing to give things up that would simplify my life. For me, it’s finding a balance among the things I love to do.
Your blog post came at a very appropriate time, as today is the first day of my leave of absence from my high-stress job to take care of some health issues that I’ve been ignoring for years. I’m putting my health FIRST for a change, or I won’t be around much longer.
Thanks, Becky. Now, off to Amazon to order some plastics…:-)
Becky, please be “tempted” and discuss! I/we would greatly appreciate hearing your thoughts and examples! I would absolutely love to get to the heart of this once and for all!
Like Lois above this is quite pertinent for me right now. I am entering my 10th day in hospital with unknown condition, running throuh the menu of all tests known to man. As a career girl, mum, wife, PTA president, over-achieving A type, it has been a shock to the system to have no control and to have to hand myself over to the medics and let everything else go. Extreme simplification right now as I abdicate everything to my husband, family, colleagues and friends. I have learned we are indispensable in our presence for others but not in our activities. By that I mean better healthy and alive than over achieving and dead. A timely reminder.
Oh how apt this is. For me I was having health issues and being stressed doing what everyone wanted for me to do and ‘be’. I have decided to just take time off and scrapbook. I am working on LOs, setting up systems and catching up on my project life album. It has made a HUGE difference. I am now a lot more motivated in general and my health is improving greatly. I am with the others, I think it would be a good idea for you to discuss. Perhaps just from your perspective. Tell us what hard decisions you had to make and how they’ve impacted YOUR life. If you do it in a non-judging way then people will gain benefit without feeling like you’re telling them what to do! I would appreciate hearing at least
yes that is it!!!
Your quote went up the same day I posted this:
http://michellewooderson.blogspot.com/2011/11/because-i-was-too-busy.html
It is rather amazing ( and yet not really) that everwhere I go on the web, out in public, with my friends I am getting this message, even from the univerese and God…….I must not ignore it! It is time…..I have been struggling with the pain of loss for too long now and need to get up and figure out my priorities…..even the littlest ones…..thank you Becky for once more writing something tht hits my heart!
How true! I have just started reading an ebook called One at a time on how to simplify your life. So far so good! Here is the link
http://52bites.com/download/
Boy, do I need this!! I give away my time to good causes, I work in my son’s class, I work for the PTA (a lot) and Little League but at many, many times it’s at the cost of my family. It’s at the cost of a home cooked meal, or not having the laundry done when we needed it or the down-time I need with my son. And I don’t even work out of the home!! My goal – do the most important things (to me) first – like dinner on the table.
this is perfect. we are enough. xoxo