two women and a VCR

Mom, do you remember the night the guys were gone, and we wanted to set the VCR to record a show? 

So we got out the instruction booklet.  I can’t remember –did you read and I pushed the buttons, or did I read and you pushed the buttons?

Step by step we followed the directions, and as we laboriously neared the end of the sequence we came to this instruction:

“But first…”

And I thought we would never stop laughing.  Did we ever get that show recorded?  I think we gave up.

I don’t know why that moment came to mind during church tonight, but I almost laughed out loud remembering it.  (That would have been bad, with my husband up there preaching and all.)

I catch myself doing that sequence all the time.  Step.  Step.  Step.  Step.  Step.  Step.  But first...

But first…I should have prayed.
But first…I should have asked God what he wanted me to do.
But first…I should have humbled my heart.

 Matthew 6:33.  “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness…”

 Maybe it’s really helpful to get things in the right order.