Baseball Trumps Scouts

Haven't blogged in quite some time because quite simply, I haven't had anything to say. Wow, that sounds veeeeery wierd as I type it 'cuz I am typically one VERBOSE gal!

I continue to be in a season of experiencing many new things/changes. Alot of other things are requiring my time & brain: "Control Freaks"...the business my best friend & I started well over a year ago, but just now started moving foward with ; preparation for leaving for the Middle East to see Blair & James & our yet-to-be-born grandbaby boy, Roman! ; tieing up alot of loose ends with tasks left over from when I was so consumed with helping take care of my Mom prior to her January '09 death ; being Angela's wedding planner....those are, I suppose, the top-of-the-list things for now.

So back to today's blog. The title is strange I know. I saw something on TV this past weekend which jogged my memory about something that occurred on a Control Freaks job last week. At the time, I didn't make any spiritual connection. But the Spirit has since used it to speak to my spirit about it.

Tori & I do all kind of extra-type services in our business. Yes, we'll clean your home from top to bottom, but what we really thrive on is organizing, de-cluttering and the like. Additionally, we'll even do the dreaded task of ironing for you...all for a price, of course! Anyway, she & I were doing some ironing for our client when her children arrived home from school. As we continuned with pressing the many items she'd given us to do, the Mom, who by the way seems to be a great mother, was doing all the things a mom does when her children get home in the afternoon: asking them how their day was at school, what snack they wanted, and what the rest of the day & evening's schedule was going to be.

Here's the conversation as I recall it:

Mom: Trent, don't forget that you have ball practice tonight.

Trent: but Mom, I have Scouts...

Mom: I know sweetie, but you need to go to baseball.

Trent: So, baseball is more important than Scouts?

Mom: Participating in baseball requires that you practice. You don't practice Scouts. So baseball trumps Scouts.

I had to chuckle as I listened to their conversation as this 40 yr old Mom conversed with her 6 year old son. And I applaud her for taking the time to explain things to him in a way that he could understand. Neal & I tried to use this approach as much as possible with our children as well, so to "see" it in action in the life of another family brought back sweet memories....ok, back to the point before I go down memory lane & get myself distracted....I'm such a sentimental freak!.....

I've chewed on the concept of something "trumping" something else. My Mom, who was a big Bridge player, would use the word "trump". That's the only thought I had when pondering this word. So I looked it up online and it said in reference to cards: "-noun. cards- any playing card of a suit that for the time outranks the other suits...-verb. cards- to take with a trump. "

So the Mom, in essence, was saying to Trent, "Baseball outranks Scouts." I don't think she was saying it always does, but in this situation, at this time, it does.

Spiritually-speaking, I've been wondering about the disciplines of a godly life (for example, Bible-reading, Prayer, Bible study, Attending Church, Worship, Service...this is NOT an exhaustive list) and how they might "trump" something else (for example, sleeping, reading another book, shopping, yardwork, paying bills, the list is endless...).

As I overheard Jenna's conversation with her son, I was struck by the simplicity of the logic she used. And yet I found it to have depth as well....sort of paradoxical in a way. Simple but deep. I want to remember this simple but deep concept because I think it just might help this easily-distracted brain of mine stay on task. When faced with a decision about how to use my time wisely (and that's a BIG issue for me right now), and I'm looking at two or perhaps even more possibilities, I'll ask myself: "does this trump that?" or more to the point, "should this trump that?"

I'm amazed, considering how long I've known my Savior, at how often I'll allow other things to "trump" spending time with Him or engage in disciplines that enhance my relationship with Him. The "why" of that is something that I don't have the time to address in this blog, but He is using a wonderful Bible study called "No Other Gods: Confronting Our Modern Idols" by Kelly Minter to dig down to the root. And yes, that's endorsement for the study! It's absolutely wonderful and oh so practical!

I'll end with a practical example in hopes of making this more clear if I've muddied the waters in your brain:

Today is Monday, and I very much wanted to get to the gym and exercise, but I also needed to work on my Bible study since I didn't make time to work on it this weekend. I also felt a desire and urging to blog....and I know both the Bible study & blogging would take up most of my morning. So which do I do? It's not that I should give up exercising altogether (for Trent, that would be Scouts) nor should I give up going every Monday. Starting my week at the gym is a good thing for me, BUT TODAY, Bible study & blogging "trumped" my gym workout because living the Spirit-filled life I want requires practice....aka: He uses things like Bible study, prayer & even perhaps blogging to work Spirit-filled qualities into my life. In other words, I say I want to walk in the Spirit and live in victory, but that will only happen when I'm intentional about cooperating with His Spirit and letting Him trump lesser things.

Alot to ponder for a Monday? If so, I hope it proves spiritually beneficial.