If anyone had ever told me I’d feel excited about a purse, I’d have thought they were joking, or perhaps had mistaken me for someone else. But here I am, smiling at the thought of my newest shoulder companion. It’s not just that it’s pretty, at least in my opinion. What sets my heart aflutter is its functionality. There are all these nifty little compartments that help me organize my things! A place for everything and everything in its place. So as long as I stick with the plan and put things where they belong, I’m good! No more hunting for keys.  No more scrounging for change. No more frantic search for a T-pass delaying the morning commute.  As long as I keep everything in its place.

What’s more, there’s room to carry important stuff, which helps me with a key goal: prioritize the priorities. That’s because the stuff in my purse helps to remind me of those priorities. There’s the pocket sized bible instructing me to love God and demonstrate his love by serving others. The keys that take me home for rest and family. The gym pass nudging me to exercise. Business cards highlighting the ministry of work. From time to time, to maintain room for the important things I have to clean out my purse. Get rid of the extra coins that weigh it down or little slips of paper that clutter it up. This is a metaphor of course for making room for the most important things in life. This concept is highlighted in Steven Covey’s book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. I found the following link helpful for Habit 3 of Covey’s Seven Habits: Putting First Things First:

God bless you as you endeavor to prioritize the priorities!