Don't Miss The Important Things

We were planning a 16th birthday party for her oldest daughter. I gladly offered my help since she had invited over sixty people. "What do you need me to do?" I asked her.

"Anything you want", my friend replied. So I offered to make the party favors, address the invitations and help with the food. Over the next few weeks we talked periodically going over the details and counting down the days before the big event.

Now I must paint a picture for your of my friend Karen; she lives for details. Tell her a story and she asks for more details. Give her directions to a certain location and she wants to know how long it will take to get there and what coffee shops are close by. So it didn't surprise me when she handed me the party planning book she had purchased for this special event. Being so specific in the details of her daughter's 16th party she even drew out a map of her backyard, locating where every chair would be placed and in case it rained, she rented several huge canopies to cover the event areas.

On the day of the party, guest began to arrive with gifts for the birthday girl, while perfect party tunes selected, could be heard in the background. The decorations of light blue, silver and hidden pops of glitter looked beautiful as if the moment was captured in a dream and recreated. Up until now, this day was nothing less than perfect. 

About an hour after the guest mingled and ate, it was time for the birthday song and cake according to the detailed list Karen had printed. So I motioned to the hired DJ to get ready with the "Happy Birthday" disk and headed back inside the house to get the candles and cake. I'd been to parties she hosted in the past so I assumed the cake would be kept in the refrigerator in the garage and I headed in that direction. When I turned the corner to the garage I could see my friend Karen already standing in front of the refrigerator with the door opened. Glancing at her facial expressions I could tell immediately something was wrong. In desperation she blurted out, "Oh no, I forgot to pick up the cake!" Tears streamed down her eyes and she clinched my arm with her fingernails. I attempted to console her, however the birthday song playing on que in the background was difficult to compete with.

In my friend's obsession to manage all the miniscule details she forgot the most important item, the birthday cake.

Sometimes in life we can be just as guilty. Obsessing over the little things and forgetting the more important.  Detailed obsessions over unnecessary items like a clean house, vegetables with every meal and over crowded schedules will drain our energy from more productive tasks and ultimately can distract us from doing God's significant work.

What parenting priorities should come first? Do you need to rearrange some things in your schedule? Are there more important items you should be doing that have been overlooked by less important things? I know I have been guilty of allowing the little details to consume my days, yet God has a way of getting our attention when we loose focus and in those moments it's critical to listen to Him. Don't miss the important things!

Prayer
Lord I acknowledge the importance of you in my life for direction, guidance and wisdom. Please give me specific insight on how to live my days pursuing the more important things.  My greatest desire is to fulfill your plan for my life.  Show me the areas where I am failing, give me clear direction to better guide me on this journey. May my life exemplify the importance of living a life consecrated to you, for you are most important. Lord, I need your help.