The Choice to Make Dinner

I woke up tired today.  Like many days, I hit the "snooze" button on my alarm clock at least twice.  I can't remember for sure; it could have been more than twice.  So I laid there and debated on getting up or rolling over and going back to sleep, even though going back to sleep isn't even an option.  Kids have to get to school and I have to get to work.  But that doesn't mean I didn't consider it.  

As I contemplated staying in my warm cocoon a few more minutes, I remembered the dinner I've been wanting to make in the crock pot all week.  I pulled a package of carne asada out of the freezer last night to defrost, only after remembering to do so after I had already crawled into bed.  It took a little time, but that memory slowly came back into focus as I laid there.

"Okay", I said to myself, "Get up.  Don't lay here anymore.  Get up and get that food in the crock pot for dinner tonight."  

I didn't want to.  Not one bit.  But we have been on the run all week and my poor family hasn't had a decent meal in days.  So I drug myself up and showered, said my morning prayer, then made my way to the kitchen.  There was that package of meat, right where I left it.  So I went to work -- seasoned the meat and peeled and chopped some carrots and potatoes.  I still had fifteen minutes to spare before my designated time to get ready for the day.  I couldn't believe I still had that much time.  I made myself a bowl of creamed wheat cereal and sat down to read my scriptures.  I finished the chapter in my scriptures and still had five minutes to spare.

I realized I still had enough time to get the ingredients into my bread maker to have some dough mixed up for rolls when I get home.  I got that done just as the clock showed the time to get the kids up and going for school and for me to get myself ready.  

My priorities were in the right order today.  The morning went as smooth as a knife through soft butter.  The evening should be nice because I already know what we are having for dinner.  The kids will be happy to have a real dinner and not cold cereal or freezer burritos again.  The day feels less stressed, less hectic, less chaotic... simply from one simple choice last night to pull a package of meat out of the freezer and one more simple choice to get out of bed this morning.  They were choices to put my family above myself.  They aren't life-changing or  extreme decisions, but they will affect me and will affect my family for the better.  

The quality of our lives isn't determined by the big choices we make from time to time, it is determined by the small, everyday choices we make all day long.  It's cause and effect.  Plain and simple.  We've all said the phrase, "Life isn't fair." at one time or another.  It's true.  Sometimes it is and sometimes it isn't, but I've come to understand that the simple choices I make every single day determine whether my day will be positive or negative.  I can't always change some of the situations I find myself in, but I can choose how I react to those situations.  I've come to realize that I've quit saying "life isn't fair."  Because whether it is or whether it isn't is irrelevant.  Life is going to continue no matter what.  That's just how it is.  So I can either lay in bed and be lazy or I can get up and get to work.  I can evaluate my priorities each day and make adjustments as needed to compensate for the changes that come.  I've said this many times in previous posts and I'm sure I will say it again, but it really does boil down to a choice.  So, I chose to make my family dinner today; what small decision will you make so that your life can be better today?