This is World Juggling Day.

See if you can find three Ping Pong balls or Nerf balls (if not, crumple up three sheets of paper). Then see if you can juggle them. After all, it’s World Juggling Day.

That’s not easy, is it? Your timing and hand movements have to be just right. And that’s just tossing and catching three items. Some jugglers can keep five things in the air, juggling everything from flaming sticks to buzzing chain saws!

Even if you can’t juggle Ping Pong balls, you probably feel like a juggler at times, as you try to find time for all the activities and demands in your life. You have friends, family, school, church, sports, clubs, and hobbies demanding time and attention, not to mention watching TV, reading books, working on the computer, and playing video games.

So how do you juggle it all? How do you find time for everything? Probably not very well, usually “dropping” a thing or two. That’s why we need to set priorities—to decide on the most important activities and do those things first.

Jesus said that the greatest commandment was to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength” (Mark 12:30). At another time, he said we should, “make the Kingdom of God [our] primary concern” (Matthew 6:33). Clearly, then, we know what should be number one on the list of priorities.

Next should come family (remember  yesterday’s lesson?). And certainly Mom and Dad will help determine other important activities (like school and homework, perhaps).

Keeping all those balls in the air isn’t easy. Instead of trying to do everything, make sure you do what’s most important.

“Store your treasures in heaven, where they will never become moth-eaten or rusty and where they will be safe from thieves. Wherever your treasure is, there you heart and thoughts will also be.” (Matthew 6:20–21)

To Do

Take an index card and make a “To Do” list, jotting down everything that you have to do in the next day or two. Then write “A” beside each item that is very important. Do those tasks first! Then you can follow with the “B” and “C” items if you have time.

Also on this day . . .

1782—The United States Congress approved the Great Seal of the U.S. and the bald eagle as the nation’s symbols.

1819—The 320-ton Savannah became the first steamship to cross the Atlantic.

1863—West Virginia became the 35^th state to join the United States.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005).