OOP! There it is again!!

So the other day, Well maybe it was a couple of weeks ago…….I was talking to a friend of mine. I don’t know if I have mentioned this or not but I try (and I use the term loosely) to sell Mary Kay. Every now and then I may have a class for a friend who is trying to raise money for something special. I give the profits to the charity and sometimes I get a new customer out of the deal. It is a fun way to help out a little and try to stay connected. I am not the greatest Mary Kay consultant there is………I don’t keep a lot of stock in. I don’t have very many parties and I don’t try to get new customers. I fit the Mary Kay in when I want to or if someone asks me. I really like to use the products for myself. I can get it for half price being a consultant and well, that is enough for me. So anyway, we where talking and she was telling me what she thought……..She thought I needed to make Mary Kay more of a priority. I was not doing all I could……… I need to sell, meet people and just be a GREAT Mary Kay woman……I can do it! ….I can rise to the top! Get a car! OHHH!! ……."It takes work! Hard Work!" And I need to get out there and place my orders and decide what I want and…………HERE it comes………..P-U-T My PRIORITIES in order. I simply smiled at her.

Well, this made me think another time I had this conversation……..I thought of the time I sat in the office of my Karate Instructor or shall I say………the Master Instructor of all of South Carolina……… maybe even the country…..maybe the world….I just think he is that good. I remember the day we had “the talk”……….I was teaching classes at the school but I did not receive payment…AND ……..I paid for my families instruction……….(Yes! I know! C-R-A-Z-Y!!!!! Who in their right mind would do such a thing………only a real sucker)………WELL, NO! People who have a love for the Martial Arts do these things…….and people that just want to learn all they can. You will do it especially if you are told you would recieve ONE ON ONE instructions with the Master……. You grab it! AHHHH!! To do that again...... how Tempting!!!!!) OH Sorry! I forgot what I was saying! Back to my story; I walked into the school excited about a weekend trip that Mark had surprised me with………He had planned a trip to the beach. But! The trip interfered with the classes I taught at the time.…….I asked one of the other teachers if they could cover my classes because I was going to the beach………She couldn't and to my surprise someone else told me……… HERE it comes …… I needed to put my priorities in order and decide what it will be. You will be pleased to know, I went with my family……….We had a great time. The women that came to my classes understood why I canceled and wished me well. But, there was trouble when I returned.......I was told I was taking to much time off and away from my training, away from my classes…..I really needed to decided what I was going to do……I needed to ......here it comes again......Put my Priorities in order........I did……..I hung up the teaching towel………or It hung me up……..Yeah! That was more like it……….I was “weeded out” …….like it so often happens when your priorities are not in order. All okay because I loved it ALL and even though I was sad not to teach anymore I think it was time to stop. I still went to class and enjoyed it all very much. The last Karate straw……..I was expecting our fourth child……….It was time to step back from what I truly loved to do for myself and enjoy the new gift we where receiving. I put my priorities in order and I am now taking a break from Karate. I realize what all these people where doing was telling me my priorities needed to be their priorities and they where very unhappy that I was not conforming to their norm.

In my last post, I recieved a comment from a friend of mine that I never expected………She told me how much she admired the things I did. She told me I have been an example for her………she even went as far as saying I (me) am an example of a Proverbs 31 women……which I had to look up……..I know now …She is giving me way to much credit…..I was stunned and honored by this and I really didn’t know what to say or think. After giving it much thought….....very much thought………I have to say……….I had a Great Example………My Mother. She taught me how things should be done………When we where growing up she was the one that was there for us. She was the one that put her self last. She was selfless………She was the one who put the family first. She was the one who would be there with the kids, doing home work, getting the meals and helped my dad with his business……… helping his dreams grow. She was the one that gave the support…………..She was and still is the wind beneath our wings. It just so happens I (WE… all 5 of us) have been blessed with two wonderful parents……….Great examples of how to give of yourself……how to give to your family. However, I must give most of the credit to my mother. She has taught me that my family should be first. Everything else comes second. My intention in my past post was to show my priorities are my family just like my mother taught us all they should be. All 5 of us are many things but the one thing I know we are is excellent parents. Let’s face it………… I am not a doctor. I will not be saving lives anytime soon. I am not a writer. I will not be publishing books that will change the world…….. I am not a political figure. I will not be changing laws in the near future………Today.....….I am a wife, a mother and just a woman…….Just like my mother……….I am proud of that. My hope is to be the example for my family………..like she has been for hers.

With all that said……….I know now why I can smile and walk away when someone tells me my priorities are off………When my priorities are not what someone else wants them to be. I can walk away happy knowing they are wrong and my mother was right when she taught me what was important in my life. Thanks Mom……..I Love you!