P For Priorities
Children work through the cards one by one
I urge
Ask yourself what’s important
They’re all important
We talk about some of them
They don’t like Rules
Imagine playing games without them
Let’s try
We play O and X’s
I fill in all the squares, super fast, in one go
You can’t do that they all cry
Can if there are no rules
I say
They decide Rules are important
But not silly Rules
We all agree to that
Books are questioned
I confess I would find life sad without books
I tell them about Prisoners of War
Locked up with very little for years on end
Far away from home
A Red Cross packaged arrived with a few bits and pieces and one book
Each man took it in turns to read the book
One man wrote of his delight when the book came to him
He inspected the cover opened and closed it enjoying the sound it made
He took pleasure in the feel of the book in his hands
The weight of it
Balance of it
He savoured
Every word on every page
Even before starting to read the story
Clearly this man valued books
Setting Priorities
Deciding Values
Working out the Standards to live by
Is Vital
To Health, Wholeness and Well being
Yet it is something
We often fail to purposely, consciously do
Drifting along, joining others in what they hold as important
Taking on what others think
Is denying how special God made us to be
It is vital to decide for ourselves what we value
Vital to work out our own Priorities
We cannot always make them happen
We cannot always control everything
But to strive towards these goals
Is being true to Self
We need to
Take note
Recognise that which
Renews
Rejuvenates
Energises
Awakens the Sparkle within
And stirs the Joy
As much as possible
Remove, eliminate and avoid
That which
Drains
Weakens
Depletes and
Deadens
By recognising and acknowledging the negatives
We learn to endure
Allowing unhealthy choices to drain us
Wastes
Time and energy
It makes futile that which God has given
When working with a child
Diagnosed with Depression
At the age of 8
We talk about what’s important
What we choose
What we cannot
What we can endure
The Hope card turns up
This Knowing Child pauses
And with Wisdom beyond her years
She sighs and says,
Well, you cannot Live without Hope
She is well on her way
To defining her own Healthy Priorities
Words and Pictures © Denise Stanford 2010
Within the Vine 