Beautiful Days
Beautiful days, folks, beautiful days. It has been a gorgeous week and the next several days look to be the same way. Make sure you get out and make the most of it. Its been a crazy, busy week this week with full days and something every night. Wednesday night was a late night with friends. We got hooked on a VH1 show that went to midnight. But it was too funny to quit on. Yesterday I spent several hours with my mom and my nephew, Bake. Most of my family has been battling the flu including Blake. So I went over for a few hours to lend a hand to Mom. Blake is such a cutie and is fun to play with. He’s a good-natured little guy. Incredibly sharp, too. You have to be careful around him. He is a quick study and if he sees you do something once (ex. unlocking the dishwasher) he is all over it. hit the driving range in the afternoon to work on my golf swing. Last night was CG volleyball and we had a great time. My team hardly won a game but it was great fun anyway.
Tonight a few of us went to play tennis which was fun. I’m a little rusty but I’ll work on it over the winter at the Y. I also found a new racquetball player so that should get better too.
Had my final eye appointment today and looks like I’ll be ready to return to contacts after the weekend. There is some scarring from the infection but shouldn’t be any permanent damage.
Went to Kehoe today because I have some damage to my jeep from my recent trip to Branson. The plastic replacement part costs $118. Just crazy. I think I will leave it as it is. The missing piece doesn’t matter at all. I’m not paying $118 for aesthetics. Shoot – I’ve driven with a cracked windshield for over two years. I can make this work. My jeep is 9.5 years old and I need it to last a couple more years if possible. She’s been a good jeep but I’ve grown accustomed to no car payments and need to keep it there as long as possible.
I have a busy weekend. Common Ground is having our first worship gathering Saturday night and I have some work on getting that ready. I’m very excited about this and hope that Mosaic (our worship gathering) will become a regular event. We do a lot of fun things together but I think we can really had some depth to our relationships by worshipping. So, I’ve been in much prayer about this event and am trusting God to use it to deepen CG. On Sunday, I’m preaching at Little Bonne Femme Church outside Columbia, MO. I know their pastor and he asked me to fill the pulpit for him while he is away on their church’s mission trip. This will be the first time I’ve been a guest preacher at another church. I have been distracted by Mosaic and other things this week and need to spend tomorrow committing my message to memory and prayer. It is written. I just need to memorize it.
Life is looking up. The past couple of weeks I finally feel like I am returning to the land of the living in some ways. It is easy to become consumed in mind and spirit by situations in life. To give these situations more credence and emotion than they deserve. Often it doesn’t become clear how much emotion you’ve devoted to situations until you are on the other side of it. On the other side where you taste peace and freedom that you’ve not tasted for some time, you realize what you’ve been missing. It’s wonderful and depressing at the same time. Wonderful because you realize you are on the good side; depressing because you realize you wasted a part of you for some time in an emotional prison of sorts. But life isn’t about looking back. Its about looking forward. And I’m excited about what is ahead. The possibilities, the hopes, the experiences, the new relationships with people. So much new to discover and embrace. I’m energized and I must confess, a little giddy, by the anticipation of tomorrow.
Need to sign-out and get to bed. Tomorrow is a full day with much to accomplish. But it will be a great day. I already know it. I pray it is a great day for each of you as well.