It’s funny how a change in situation can dramatically change your priorities. Two months ago, I had a list of things I thought were essential. In my world – they were. Now – some of those things don’t even register on my list of “very important”s anymore.

Recalibrating to a new way of life, of doing things is difficult – there are stages to changing. At first – some circumstances were met like an unexpected snow day – excitement, fun, a much-needed break. Then came the uneasy, “Oh, crap!” stage where buts of reality begin to settle – like going to the supermarket and finding no toilet paper again and knowing that your own stores are running low. Then comes the ingenuity stage – figuring out the workarounds. OK so I can’t find bleach in any of the six stores I’ve visited, where else could I go – lumber yard? Bingo! After a while, changing your clothes, disinfecting your items, and washing up each time you come in from outside becomes less of a chore and more of a habit.

It’s not until I settled into my new routine that I truly began to embrace the shift in my priorities.  With all the “extra” stuff we, as a family, do every day now absent from our daily lives, there is more time for other things. There are times for games, conversations, laughter, memories, and projects that we wouldn’t typically have. We got our annual garage clean and organization out of the way months earlier this year, and we even had the time to go through and pull out boxes of old pictures and mementos. There was time for stories and perusing that wouldn’t usually be available.

Our family priorities shifted into summer mode in April – in other words – the time to slow down – reconnect – and get closer has moved to the forefront, and I’m cherishing every second. In fact, I wonder if things will ever return to the way they were before because I’m sure I can’t be the only one who feels that so much of the busy-for-the-sake-of-being-busyness of our daily lives was unnecessary. With the threat of exams relieved from my children, they have begun to spend more time on the things they love doing and learning in addition to their regular assignments. Without the exhaustion of extracurricular activities, they have more energy and patience.

I’m beginning to wonder why we spent so much time doing stuff that mattered so little in retrospect.

Time to reassess, reorganize, and reprioritize my life – to focus on what’s really the most important.

Luke 10:38-42 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching.   But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”   But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”