Top Three

Ever since I was a kid, I was a "list maker."

I love making lists.

Like many of you, I have even been known to write down something I have already done, just to be able to cross it off.

Lists keep me focused and so happy!

Those same lists that bring me happiness most of the time, also make me feel inadequate as they sit in the planner at the end of each day, not completed.

Several years ago when I was first serving as Relief Society President, I was overwhelmed.

I had five small children, and a ward with 192 women.

I wanted to be there for everyone, everyday.

It was the impossible.

Everyday, I woke up determined to make a list full of everyone's needs and the strong desire to complete that list before bed that night.

Somewhere in my crazy brain, I thought I should be able to accomplish the impossible.

But each night, day after day, night after night, I failed.

Each night, I would kneel next to my bed in prayer, feeling like a failure, knowing I had let someone down. Knowing that the list downstairs had missed something or someone. Wondering is a lonely heart, or a needed word to a child had gone amiss.

It was a horrible feeling.

I started to have insomnia. Sometimes, even crying myself to sleep at the disappointment I felt.

This went on for months. Every morning I would make the list a mile long, (of course adding the ones I had missed the day before.) And every night, the lying in bed wishing I had made that call, or dropped by that sister, or gotten off the phone in time to tuck in one more of the children.

THEN I HAD THE MOMENT...

I was driving home from the temple. (For some reason, it is always the drive home when the magic happens from attending the temple.) I actually even keep a notebook in the front of my temple bag, with a pen, for the drive home.

I had this sane feeling (finally!) that I was trying to do much, and that the Lord had been trying to show me that, but I had kept pushing forward with my nonesense.

From that moment forward, I applied the TOP THREE to my day.

The TOP THREE is simply, getting on my knees each morning and asking the Lord what the three most important things are for me to accomplish that day.

Obviously, there are standards that don't hit the list (that is another post), but usually within being up for a couple of hours, things will rise to the top.

Laura, stop in and see sister _______, or call the girl next door, or make sure you talk to Madie the whole ride to practice tonight.

It was miraculous!

It would happen every single day that I asked.

And guess what also happened...you guessed it...I felt at peace.

I could sleep, I could be happy with my list each day, and anything else that was crossed off...icing on the cake!

I knew that if I hadn't returned that email or phone call, it would be ok.

My prayers had been answered.

My plate is less full with outside responsibilities for the moment, but now that same TOP THREE can be applied to my sweet family, friends I lost touch with, sisters I adore, and neighbors.

It is a priceless gift, to be able to ask for help, feel the prompting, and crawl into bed next to your sweetheart each night knowing you did the best you can.

I still fail when I don't apply the work. I still wish I had caught that teenager, after reading to little ones, before she fell asleep, but it is ok.

"Enduring to the end" is the goal right?