Focusing On What Truly Matters.

I once heard a story about a man who worked in a factory as a security guard.

One day, as the workers left, the guard observed a man pushing a wheelbarrow with a very small box in it.

He immediately went over to investigate. He approached the man and looked in the wheelbarrow and asked “What do you have in there?”

The worker nervously answered, “A tiny box”. The security guard abruptly responded, “What’s in the box?” The worker responded, “It’s nothing. Just a little sawdust.”

The security guard then demanded that the worker open the box and ….sure enough, to the guard’s surprise, it was just sawdust.

The security guard asked, “So why are you collecting sawdust?” The worker replied, “The sawdust is normally thrown away after my shift, but this sawdust reminds me of my hard day at work.”

The security guard then allowed the worker to leave the premises. The worker exited the gates and went home.

The next day, at the same time, the security guard once again saw the same worker pushing a wheelbarrow with a small box in it.

Once again the security guard inquired as to what was in the box, and once again the worker showed him it was only sawdust.

This went on for about 4 days, and each day at the same time, the same thing occurred. On the 5th day the security guard once again stopped the worker and asked the same questions regarding the tiny box, The worker once again showed the guard the sawdust in the box.

Finally, the security guard began to scratch his head. He Then stated to the worker, “I think that you are up to something – I just can’t put my finger on it. Tell me and I promise I won’t tell on you or turn you in”.

After insisting that he just needed to know for his own peace of mind.” The worker smiled and said to the guard, “I have been stealing wheelbarrows.”

Sometimes in life, we focus on the small things and forget to look at the big picture.

As a result we wait, put off and we never do what we were created to do.

A lot of times people talk themselves out of what they should be doing and forget to look at the big picture.

Recently, we celebrated our annual family picnic and after the rushing, preparing to participate in the annual pie baking contest, and making other preparations for the day, I was pretty much exhausted, and the day was just getting started.

While at the park, my daughter got on the rocking horse and she could barely fit on it anymore.

She is growing up and, as I have shared before, there are two things you cannot control – TIME and CHANGE.

It is inevitable that as time goes on, change is happening continuously.

So Planning , Managing your time, and Choosing what to focus on gives you the gift of yes…ENJOYING THE JOURNEY.

Forgetting the Mayonnaise in the basket or leaving an extra blanket in the car, which was needed for the picnic will never add up to the memories we created.

Even attempting 4 times to make a perfect pie, only to realize nothing is perfect, but it is PERFECTLY MADE for that special occasion.

We can also remember that at every occasion a pie can turn out and taste a little better as we share, laugh and enjoy each other.

The security guard focused on the small box and sawdust, so much so that he MISSED THE BIG PICTURE.

This week try appreciating the big picture as well as the little things, and ENJOY THE JOURNEY.

After all, “What you thought mattered was just matter, which all eventually passes away” (1 John 2:17)… Enjoy the journey. 

Love you dangerously, Carol