Big rocks

I used to be so well-balanced: I had a fairly consistent time of prayer and Bible study in the morning, I exercised regularly, I prepared most meals at home, and I worked on my French each day. These last few weeks, however, have had me running all over town for those final meetings with college and financial planners, doctor appointments, visits with friends, and taking the girls to visit with their friends. I feel really badly for the family who loaned us their car for our remaining time in the States. They are in for quite a shock when they see the odometer! (I'll have to get them a nice thank you gift to compensate -- which involves yet another errand to run). The few hours when I am home are spent packing, preparing for garage sales and giveaways, and helping my daughter with her summer school math homework and SAT prep. In a nutshell, things are far from normal!

I've noticed that being out of my routine has made me very grumpy. I'm more irritable with my poor husband, who also has a lot of extra activities on his plate. I'm more apt to snap at the girls than sit down with them and talk things over. Obviously, something has to change. I know that I have to intentionally build in some margin, and use that precious time to recharge, or I'm going to burn out. Thinking about this reminds me of a very common illustration that was popularized by Steven Covey (I believe it was in his book First Things First). The story involved someone trying to get rocks of various sizes into a glass jar. When the small rocks were put in first, it was impossible to get the big rocks in later. However, putting in the big rocks first enabled small rocks to fill in the cracks. It was even possible to completely fill up the entire jar with tiny pieces of gravel and sand.

I thought about what would be considered my "big rocks." Is packing a big rock? No, but right now, packing is an urgent task. It must get done. But it also WILL get done! Seriously, I don't think we're going to leave the country without accomplishing this activity. Is quiet time alone with God a big rock? YES! I need to meet with Him every day. For me, uninterrupted morning time in prayer and study is like hitting a "spiritual reset" button. I'm at my best when I'm sitting at His feet, listening to His Word, with a heart that's ready to obey.

Another big rock for me is exercise. It helps me relieve stress. Today I felt myself getting really wound up inside. I almost hyperventilated just thinking about all the things I needed to accomplish. My wise husband encouraged me to take an hour in the middle of the day to get some exercise. So even though the "to do" list wasn't finished, I did as he suggested and worked out with my DVD buddy, Tony Horton (P90X!) Afterwards, although I was dripping with sweat, I felt ten times better. My anxiety was gone.

What are your "big rocks?" Post a comment and let me know. In the meantime, I've got to run and tackle another big rock -- dinner. (Does frozen lasagna count as a homemade meal?)