LEAVING MY "TO DO" LIST BEHIND

Vacation is just around the corner ... much needed ... life is a whirl! I often wonder how I get everything done during the school year while I teach. It seems each day in the summer just zooms by and no matter how devoted I am to my "to do" list , it seems I have accomplished very little and my summer break is half way over! Well, it will be once I return from vacation.

I have such mixed emotions when it comes to vacations. I hate spending the money on enjoyment when there are so many things we want to get done on our home and are scrounging on money to do it all. But I am coming to realize that when you own a home there is never an end to things that need to be done or you want to do. As long as the absolutely necessary things get done, other things can be put off for awhile and the world will not come to an end. We must take out time to just live, love, and enjoy life. In Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus tells us "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth doth not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Reading on, in verse 25 He says, "Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?" and in verse 34, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

I believe God put us on earth, not just to toil and labor, but to love and enjoy all He has created. Otherwise, all is vanity! ( as the scriptures say) Why devote all our time, energy, and resources ... our life ... into earthly treasures for others to enjoy once we are gone? How horrible to spend your entire life in pursuit of gaining more and neglect the joys of life ... fulfilling God's plan for us, investing time in those we love, exploring the world God created, building relationships of caring and being cared for ... BUILDING OUR LEGACY. Years after we are gone no one will remember all the things we acquired on this earth but, hopefully, everywhere they turn they will see something, hear something, taste or smell something ... experience something that will bring back memories of "who we were" - our being, our character.

So, it is time to put aside my "to do" list for awhile and get some rest .. some joy ... some time with the love of my life that God has blessed me with, enjoying God's creation.