Resetting Your Priorities
““Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?””
—
During my high school and early college years, I worked as a cook at Camp Glisson, a United Methodist Retreat Center three miles north of our home in Dahlonega.
We prepared three meals a day for crowds averaging a little over a hundred (most days). The work was interesting, to say the least.
At times it was fun and relaxed. At other times it was a rush of excitement and activity.
I remember one evening that was especially exciting. I was one of only two cooks on staff that night and we had a larger than normal crowd scheduled for supper.
It was late summer, and a couple of local farmers had donated some vegetables out of their gardens to the camp.
The head dietitian wanted us to serve fresh squash, green beans, field peas, and creamed corn along with the usual meat entrée, mashed potatoes, Jell-O salad, home-baked yeast rolls (my specialty), iced tea, and dessert.
It was a good idea... but, oh, what a time we had getting it ready!
My job was to man the main stove and to keep all the pots of vegetables stirred at the same time lest they scorch and burn.
That night was a madhouse. I remember practically jumping from one pot to the next to keep things going all while trying to finish up on all the preparations for the meal.
Timing was everything. One miscue, one oversight, one pot neglected, and... “poof” - disaster!
I learned some things that night.
One, remember which pots you have already salted.
Two, instant mashed potatoes taste better when made with a little cream instead of just water.
Three, when the yeast rolls come out on the dark side people don’t eat as many.
Four, fresh green beans need a lot of time to cook.
Five, when cooking fresh vegetables, start the preparations much earlier than expected.
I often feel like I am trying to stir a lot of pots at the same time. My ministry, my choirs, my family, my duties around the house, my extended family, my friends, my backyard lawn... all vie for my attention.
It’s so easy for things to get out of hand. A little neglect, a little oversight, a little lack of attention here and there, and “poof” something goes wrong, something doesn’t get done, or I’ve let somebody down.
Confession: I tend to layer one “good thing” on top of another in my life.
“They’re all worthwhile,” I tell myself.
But before I know it, I have five evenings a week lined up and every day is a madhouse of activity trying to get ready for the next.
I hope I can learn to slow down, to take things in measure, “to smell the roses,” and to pace myself a little better in the future. I hope we all can.
Maybe I need to hit the reset button on my priorities.
What is of the highest value? What is most important? What needs my best effort? And what things are truly of lesser concern in the long run? Are there some things that I need to let go?
These are the questions all of us should ask.
Jesus said, “But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Christ is our top priority. It seems to me that if we get things right in matters of faith, everything else will follow well in due course.
I’m preaching to myself here: Let’s pray that God will help us live our lives according to His design.
Let’s “redeem the time” and reorder our priorities to align with what God would have us do. He promises abundant life as we do.
Mark Green
Pastor for Senior Adults & Youth and Children’s Music