Minimizing Schedules

Saturday I went to a garden party. A dear friend of mine spoke about finding and following our passion. She said, "Everyone close your eyes. When you open them look for everything brown. Open your eyes. Close your eyes. When you open them look for everything red. Open them." Her point was that we see what we are looking for. When we are looking for brown, we see lots of brown and not red. When we are looking for red we see red and not brown.
What are we seeing in life? What is our passion? Children? Faith? Music? Are we doing these things? Or are we so busy running around pleasing people that we aren't doing our passion? People ask much of us. Watch my kids, plan this event, teach this class. When we say yes to everything without the filter of what is our passion, we lose our identity.
Ironically, she mentioned some advice I had given her about minimizing your child's room. Do not ask them to evaluate each item and decide what to keep or get rid of. You will never progress. Instead pull everything out of the room, and only put back what you use and love. Likewise, with our schedules, we need to take times of clearing everything off and only putting back what we feel passionately about.
My schedule has gotten out of hand. Many who read this blog know that. Some of my friends have a joke. If they need someone to do something and can't find anyone, they say, "Just ask Karen." and they laugh. My last obligation for this year ends on the last day of VBS, June 5th. Sounds like the perfect time to clear off the schedule, and this time only put on what I feel truly passionate about.