Life gets rushed. I’m sure you’ve noticed. In the midst of the rush, the turmoil of the news, the rhetoric of politics, and the general pace of life…our priorities can get lost. I don’t mean our “believed priorities,” the priorities we hold to mentally. I’m talking about our “lived priorities.” Our actions and words so easily drift from our true priorities in the midst of the chaos and busyness of life. So, I invite you to take a moment right now to do a little “lived priority check” by honestly considering the answers to these questions.

If you asked your family what priorities your actions reveal, what would they say? What would your spouse and children claim as your most important priority when they observe your actions and activities? What are your “lived priorities”?

• Talking with your child or checking your email?
• Listening to your spouse or watching the football game?
• Conversing with your spouse or scrolling Pinterest, Instagram, or Tik Tok?
• Coming to the dinner table to enjoy time with family or finishing your video game?
• Engaging in conversation or reading your e-book?
• Spending time with your spouse or going hunting for the third time this season?
• Watching your child play soccer or scrolling on your phone?
• Watching your child march in the band or hanging out with friends at happy hour?

You get the idea. Our actions can easily drift from our true priorities. Our “lived priorities” don’t match or communicate our true priorities. But paying attention to questions like those above can help you check if your “lived priorities” match your “true priorities.” Now that you’ve checked your priorities for consistency, do whatever you need to do to keep your lived priorities in line with your true priorities. Match them up. You and your family will find greater joy and intimacy when you do.