The really important things

My 9-year-old son Brooks had been bugging me to give him a planner like the one I use. He was delighted yesterday to get a Franklin Planner all his own, and spent a lot of time setting it up his way. I was amused and proud at a lot of what I saw there that I won't display publicly. He wants to be organized and effective!

But the best part was his "weekly compass", which I use along with my weekly planner and a master task list on toodledo.com and my iPhone. Mine is my way of focusing on what really matters, and doing first things first. And he knows that and checks mine out regularly!

So the pictures above document his list of roles and "big rocks" as he seeks to be organized and effective this week. "HAVE FUN DURING SUMMER" "EVERY SINGLE DAY OF SUMMER"!

He lives with me in my
"big picture"/"little picture"
over-analysis/intuitive
tasks/goals
prayer/obedience
world . . . and we talk all the time about really important ideas about life and living well.

And he preached a sermon to me with his hours of delight and preparation of this little planner, and the conclusion/goal on the weekly compass card.  Everything we do is for a reason, and as much as he already knows my Christian-speak about what we are here for and what his purposes should be, he isn't confused at all.

He needs to do his daily chores (which we do from a list, and which are going very well in both how they are done and the attitude with which they are done) and he wants to plan his life. He likes knowing our travel plans and planning each day. But he isn't going to miss out on being 9 years old this summer. 

Praise God!

Brooks climbing through a tunnel he made in the VCS sandbox, with Noah greeting him as he emerges