New Thing

My message from God this morning as I looked out my office window:

Hey Craig! Look at this new thing I'm doing here. I've given you a fresh start to your day and I'm reminding you of the cleansing power I offer daily. Pay attention and don't let your troubles overwhelm you. Stop for a moment to enjoy what I'm showing you. It's only in me that you'll find what you're looking for. Be at peace my son. 

Good Fuel

There are certain Scriptures I have memorized (not as many as I would like) and I use them when I need to refocus myself. I will find myself speaking them out loud as I drive down the road or when I find my thoughts wandering to unhealthy places. It's a way of recalibrating my mind and spirit while reminding me of what is really important. There is great comfort in these words of power and they have proven to be an anchor for me when circumstances are not always steady.

I certainly don't always respond in the best way, but I believe increased Scripture intake will lead to a healthier (and holier) output. We need to determine what we fuel ourselves with because we will see the offspring of it when we are tested.

Just In Time

A minute earlier or later and I wouldn't have seen the sun peeking over the trees this morning. Once that opportunity had passed, I would have missed out on this view (which isn't captured nearly as beautifully as it appeared in person.) 

How many times each day are we right on time for an opportunity because we are paying attention? How many times each day do we miss out on an event simply because we weren't paying attention? There is value in each moment of our day. Try walking through it with your head up and eyes open and you might catch of a glimpse of something worthwhile.

Defining Yourself

What defines me? What do I allow to determine my identity? Far too often I fall into the trap of letting my profession describe who I am. I don't believe I am the only one who thinks this way. It's a natural reaction based on how our society defines success. We've forgotten that what we do is part of who we are, but it isn't the single greatest characteristic. If we follow our passions and use our God-given abilities this can be a significant portion of our identity, but on its own cannot be complete.

This incomplete practice misses important pieces of who I am and the roles I am called to fill (husband, father, son, brother, and friend.) Only labeling myself by what I do ignores my personality, life history, and quiet passions. My business card is a single-dimension representation of a multi-dimensional person and there is no way it can accurately represent all of who I am.

I am more than my career even when I am the one who sometimes forgets it.

Settling for Good

Frequent readers of my blog know I am an avid New York Mets fan. I've followed them for years and continue to do so even when they aren't playing great baseball. Earlier this year they had an 11 game winning streak which brought them front page publicity for their accomplishment. I blogged about their streak while also recognizing it may not last forever. Since that run of victories ended my beloved Mets have the second worst record in baseball. There are many excuses to be made (injuries, misfortune, youth) but it doesn't change their overall record.

I thought about the team this morning and the attitude they might be dealing with right now. I'm sure they are working hard to get better and win games, but the truth is that hard work might not make the difference they hoped. At some point we might realize that this just isn't a very good team. No amount of extra work and hustle will transform them into the best in the league if the talent they have isn't good enough to begin with. I'm not discounting the opportunity to make the most of your abilities, but there is a ceiling for all of us=-which will prevent some levels of excellence from being reached.

That's a hard lesson to learn for anyone--sometimes your best isn't enough to deliver what you hoped for. It's why the team concept is so important. We've got to surround ourselves with people whose strengths compensate for our weaknesses.

Good Day

My wife and I have some time alone this week as our three girls are at a conference with their youth group. I have had a busy schedule, but took today off to spend entirely with her without distractions. I planned for us to visit a small town here in Georgia which we have never been to. The drive there and back, walking around a new place, and eating good food was enough to call the day a success. It was a simple plan which we both thoroughly enjoyed. Part of our enjoyment was in the newness of the experience, but the most important piece was the company. When you are deeply in love with the one you spend time with, everywhere you go is a good day.

Something for Nothing

We have witnessed far too many scams to believe you can receive great benefits without a catch. We've either seen people who have been ripped off or have experienced it on a personal level. The old expression has proven correct, "If sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

I think this is why we struggle with the idea of grace. God's willingness to give us a gift we do not deserve leaves us doubtful of His motives. Even as a Christ follower, I think there is a struggle to continue attempting to earn what God is giving away. We are programmed to believe nothing of value is given away for free and keep waiting for the fine print to catch up to us at some point. That's why God's grace has been described as scandalous and wasteful. It defies all our worldly systems to think about a magnificent gift given abundantly to anyone who asks for it.