so its been an unusually chaotic summer.
i have done more special events and played with teenagers more than i have ever in the past.
i have been gone from my house on 4 separate outings for at least a weekend already this summer.
i have spent more time trying to build relationships with my family and friends than i ever have. like ever.
i am halfway through my second seminary class and have read more words – which combine themselves into thick textbooks – the past two months than i have read in the past 6 years.
i have built a garden, an entertainment rack, and garage shelves and still have more house projects i want to get done.
but i still want to:
work out more. go play in the woods and be in solitude at least once this summer. jam on my guitar with some guys again. have poker night. get another dog. go on a date. visit my brothers. get my carpets cleaned. learn how to change the oil in my own car. actually read all the assignments for one seminary class just once before i finish in 2012. learn how to lead. figure out how to mountain bike again. visit clemson. learn how to cook health-ily-er.
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so i was reading in 1st Corinthians this evening. Paul was gettin his teaching on because the people that thought they knew what they were doing when he left Corinth the first time kind of jacked things up. and some other peeps were just being jerks to Paul’s authority and trying to screw with stuff just to be a bunch of jerks. and so Paul was correcting things and then got to talkin about his own ministry and life and his need (or lack thereof) to defend himself. check out what he says in chapter 9 of 1st corinthians:
To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. 24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
it has been a crazy summer. i cant believe my kids go back to school in 13 days. its ridiculous. and i still have my summer bucket list of things id love to do and enjoy while i can.
but so what.
waaaaaa me.
boo freakin hoo.
when i read that text a few minutes ago, i was reminded of what really matters. of what is worth fighting for. i want to become all things to all people. i want to have connections with people in my life – not just teenagers – but my family and old people too so that some might enjoy Jesus because i was nice enough to spend time with them and God was gracious enough to minister through me. i still cant figure that one out. but thats what matters.
i want to beat my body. i want my flesh and my brokenness to be slave to my Spirit so that i wont miss out on Jesus. He is the Prize anyway. He is what I am after. i want to beat my body. i want my Spirit to kick the crap out of my body. that is so much more important and necessary than some stupid bucket list ive had this summer. it is so much more important than guitar or school or landscaping or hiking or…
anyway.
thanks for that reminder Jesus. sorry ive been worshipping myself lately.
