A New To Do List

"Whether we are married and taking care of home and family, or studying in school, or working in an office or a factory or on a farm, whether we are dedicated to the priestly or religious life, matters little -- in whatever we do, we must always seek first the kingdom of God.  That is, all of our actions of every day must be accepted as from God and referred back to Him, must be done in a way that fulfills His will, for in this way alone is the kingdom of God promoted and spread upon the earth." 

~Father Walter Ciszek, S.J.

I need a new To Do list.

With our approaching move, my To Do list has gotten way too long.

It often makes me crabby.

I often loose it.

Worst of all?  I think I have been filling it with the wrong tasks.


I came to this realization while talking about the Fruits of the Spirit with my kids last week:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.  Against such things there is no law."  ~Galatians 5:22-23

I am reminded that the tasks on my To Do list are not nearly as important as how I do them.  

So, instead of this:

1. Return library books

2. Grocery run

3.  Parent the behavior

4. Dinner at 6

5. Clean kitchen

6. Pay bills

I need a To Do list like this:

1. A smile and a joyful heart at the library.

2. Patience with my kids at the grocery store.

3. Peace behind the firmness as I confront the misbehavior.

4. Faithfulness, not frustration, as I make dinner.

5. Goodness, not grumbling, as I clean the mess.

5. Self-control, not sarcasm, with the customer service phone call.

Now those are tasks worth remembering, worth accomplishing.

Nota bene, Queen B!   Whatever graces your To Do list today, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to the Father through Him (Colossians 3:17).