First

I was making my bed this morning when it hit me really hard.

I had been making homemade waffles and listening to music and everything seemed right, and all of a sudden I realized why.

It was as if He was saying, through those melodies, words, and songs, "This is the way it should be. I'm supposed to be first."

First.

And that word leads me to think of her. The one who is two years older than I and yet has the mind of a child.

It happens every time I pick her up from work, after going through the routine of hugs, putting on her jacket, getting all her bags in order, and finally getting out of the door. As soon as she's out of the building, the questions start coming. Questions that are asked with single hand motions, meaning things such as "stamps" "the video store" "the grocery store", etc. Places she wants to go, things she wants to do, and I have to remind her every time, "What comes first, munchkin?"

And she knows. She knows exactly what comes first, namely putting all her stuff away and then eating a snack, once we get home.

As soon as I remind her, she remembers and the questions come fewer and far between. So as soon as she starts signing, she knows to expect me to say, "That's not what we're talking about right now. As soon as we get done what's first, then we'll talk about what we can do. But what comes first?"

And those words resonate deeply.

All throughout this past week, He has been saying those words to me. During this time of relaxation and very little schedule, I don't have my devotion time scheduled in, and so it often gets pushed away, or ignored completely.

And so I have floated throughout this week, accomplishing some things, but not nearly what I thought I would. Devoid of purpose or the energy to get moving, I have wasted so much time. 

It's as if, with a simple time shuffle, the time spent with Him alone becomes unimportant.

And that's not right.

Before anything else, before I successfully go about my day, I need to put Him first.

When I put Him first, it changes my outlook. It my view from looking in to looking up. It makes a huge difference.

Putting time with Him first in my list, but also putting Him first in the things that I say do, and think.

Anything I am, comes after all that He is.

He is first.