Priorities

As an actively serving Christian I'm often faced with decisions regarding priorities.

Family vs. Church Service

Which isn't even a real competition.  God is my highest priority at all times. Notice I said God, not  church service. There's a difference. 

Then some people would say that it should be Family, then Work, then whatever follows, but I disagree.  Now, I didn't come up with what I'm about to say on my own so I don't want to take credit for it, but it should be:

God first.

God first in my family.

God first in my church service.

God first at work. 

God first in whatever follows.

But even saying that, I still often feel a tension in our home regarding our service at our chosen church and our dedication to growing and maintaining our healthy, loving marital relationship. 

I am fiercely protective of our time together and I attribute this mostly to my high value of time in general and my understanding that our days have been numbered and could end at any time.  By the grace of God we have had this much time together and I don't take for granted any moment that follows.

We each work at least 40 hours per week, sleep 8-9 hours per night, and invest several hours at church each week.  We are both introverts who need time apart in order to feel full enough to give to each other.  So the few, although there are many more than three, it always feel like so few, hours we do have together are, in my mind, ours and I will defend them against any time-thief that dares to show its face.

Even the church.

There never seem to be enough people to serve.  Not in any church I've ever been to.  It's always the same people.  

And there's always more to do.

And here's the thing that seems to blow some peoples' minds: I don't care.

We serve where we are called and we invest in those we can.  We do what we are able and sometimes more.

But there must be boundaries! You can't run a few people ragged just because they are willing.  And I refuse to allow our family to become those people.

I have simple priorities.  God first in everything and in that list of everything, my family comes first above service to the church.

For where does the church begin, but in the home?

PostNote: These are internal struggles we face.  Not ones placed on us by our church or members of our church.