Post by JEM on Sept 21, 2013 22:02:04 GMT
A teacher stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The teacher then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The teacher next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full.. The students responded with a unanimous ‘yes.’
The teacher then produced two cans of coke from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed..
‘Now,’ said the teacher as the laughter subsided, ‘I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things—-your faith, your God, your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favourite passions—-and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else—-the small stuff.
‘If you put the sand into the jar first,’ he continued, ‘there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life.
If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.
Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Make time to pray. Study the Bible and apply what you learn there. Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Support your place of worship. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and mow the lawn.
Take care of the golf balls first—-the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Coke represented. The professor smiled and said, ‘I’m glad you asked.’ The Coke just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cokes with a friend.
And if coke is not your fancy, you could have said mugs of cocoa, or coffee, cups of tea, cans of beer, glasses of wine or whatever
The teacher then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The teacher next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full.. The students responded with a unanimous ‘yes.’
The teacher then produced two cans of coke from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed..
‘Now,’ said the teacher as the laughter subsided, ‘I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things—-your faith, your God, your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favourite passions—-and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else—-the small stuff.
‘If you put the sand into the jar first,’ he continued, ‘there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life.
If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.
Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Make time to pray. Study the Bible and apply what you learn there. Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Support your place of worship. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and mow the lawn.
Take care of the golf balls first—-the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Coke represented. The professor smiled and said, ‘I’m glad you asked.’ The Coke just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cokes with a friend.
And if coke is not your fancy, you could have said mugs of cocoa, or coffee, cups of tea, cans of beer, glasses of wine or whatever