Relationships before Responsibility

My mom taught me to put relationships before responsibility.

Let me explain.

My mop and duster are feeling neglected, since I haven't touched them since September. My laundry room is overflowing. The cupboards are looking a little bare, since I haven't stepped inside a grocery store in about a month. We've needed to shop for new tires since October - well at least according to the guy who last changed my oil. There are still Christmas presents to be bought, and wrapped, and our "first Christmas" is next week ...So what have I been doing with all my time?

I'll tell you.

I spent time with my little brother, who was home on leave from Iraq over Thanksgiving. We talked ... with out a pause between each sentence, we played football, we shopped, we ate, we played games, we just sat ...

I spent countless hours last month with extended Skaff family members remembering Grandpa Skaff, and preparing for his funeral. We made lefse, ate lefse, created scrapbooks, cleaned, ate some more, laughed, cried ...

I spent 15 hours working on my husband's Christmas present this past weekend. I can't tell you what it is yet - in the rare, unlikely, chance that he might actual read my blog - especially since the surprise was nearly spoiled once already. I'll fill you in later.

I helped out at a Pulse outreach event at the University of North Dakota, featuring Toby Mac and Kutless. 5,000 people attended, 918 responded to the salvation message, and more than 3,000 raised their hand to say God had moved in their life and to grab a Gospel of John.... 3,000! (Pulse is our friend's college ministry, to check it out visit www.pulsemovement.com)

I spent time with my best friend ...

and reconnected with good friends ...

and stayed up too late talking with my husband.

Like I said, relationships are more important to me than responsibilities. Yes, it's important to have food in the cupboards and clean socks to wear. But it is more important to me to invest in the lives of those I love. So if you ever come visit us, which I REALLY hope you do, I may not have a perfectly clean house ... but I always have time to sit down and talk over a cup of coffee.