It's a Matter of Priorities!

I was rereading one of the top five books in our system yesterday when I had an epiphany. The question the author raised was what were your priorities, so I answered with my usual faith, family, friends, and work. Then the author got me, he asked to confirm the order; ask yourself, if you had to eliminate one, what would it be? So naturally I started on the bottom, after all, how hard would it be to justify to myself living without work? A job is simply a means to an ends, I need income to live the lifestyle I choose. Truth be told, I have the means to survive without an income. The level will dip, I've become kind of fond of indoor plumbing, refrigeration, and buying meals rather than killing and gathering them. But I can survive without a job!

So I move on to friends. Can I live without friends? It's hardly desirable, but in a pinch, I believe I can. I was a little upset about how quickly I can remove the priorities. I took the author as asking if it was a life or death situation though, so I was handling this exercise seriously.

Now I was down to two, family and faith, it was getting tough to answer quickly. I put lots of thought into this, you don't dismiss either lightly. Did I have the order correct? I reviewed my life, my children, my sisters, and my relatives, how could I answer this one? Well reflection paid off. There are times in my life I'm not particularly proud of, I was hard headed and independent, a survivor. I have lived without contact from my family, so I'm no stranger to the loneliness it brings. Thankfully I've repaired those relationships, but it was because of my faith. Therein lies the answer. Faith came first, because without it, I might not have repaired those relationships.

The author's challenge made me reflect on my priorities, and why I believe what I believe. I challenge you to do the same soul searching. There are no correct answers, but it will reinforce your priorities so you can defend them if ever questioned. I eagerly await hearing your outcomes!

God Bless
Capt. Bill