Don’t sweat the small stuff

As I said in last week’s post, life has been just a tad busy (sarcasm sign, it has been a LOT busy). When I chat to people, I keep getting told the same thing: don’t do anything unnecessary, know the limits of your capabilities, focus on the most important things. In other words; don’t sweat the small stuff. Which is all fair and well, except which of the stuff is the small stuff?

A clean house. A completed to do list. Getting dressed. Getting your children to nap at a specific time. Getting your children to eat what you want them to and sleep in their own bed. All these things are small but can seem so huge; specially when you are tired, busy or emotional. Which let’s face it, all of us are most of the time.

So we can make an effort to not worry about the small things. But, by trying not to worry about the small things, our focus is still on the small things and we spend time and energy justifying why a small thing is not actually a small thing and then it all becomes a big thing until we are worrying ourselves into circles.

So. There must be a better way. I am sure most of you have heard the story of filling a jar. If you fill a jar with sand; you fill it till you can’t get anything else in. Then the only thing you have in your jar is sand.

But if you fill a jar with rocks, you fill it until it is full – you cannot get any more rocks in. However, there is still room for sand. So you add sand to the jar until it is full and you can’t get anymore sand in the jar. But you can still fit water in the jar, between the rocks and the sand. Now your jar is full with rocks and sand and water.

I propose that this is the better way. Instead of sweating the small stuff; instead of worrying what size the stuff is – focus on the rocks. Get them in place first and there will still be time for the small things. Bills still have to be paid, dishes still need to be washed, admin has to be done. So we can’t forget the small stuff completely. But we can focus on the rocks.

Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Focus first on making sure our lives are pleasing to God. Are we doing everything to His glory? Are our lives a sweet aroma, a pleasing sacrifice?

Even Maslow in His pyramid of needs says the two bottom layers are food, water, warmth, shelter and safety and security. So what are the rocks when it comes to parenting? Have my children eaten; are they clothed; do they know I love them; are they safe? If yes, I have taken care of all their basic needs. It is a winning day.

This week, may we learn to not sweat the small stuff, by focusing on the rocks.