Thoughts From Our Director

 

The holidays this year were different than in previous years...instead of feeling like I could slow down and do some extra thinking and take some time for solitude, Joan and I were engaged with our children!  Life has changed for us.  After Peter left and I took Jack, our dog, to be with Mary Ellen, I came home to a quiet house. We now have more time during our regular life than when our children were around.

One of my mentors, Skip Gray, a wonderful and wise teacher, told us thirty years ago, that the older you get, the more time you need with God and with your wife.  I did not understand what he was saying, thinking that I would be able to connect with more people when I had more time.  But I am learning what he meant.  I sense that I need to depend more on God than ever before and invest more time in my relationship with Him.  I also understand that I need to continue to work on and grow my relationship with Joan.

I am growing in understanding my stewardship responsibility of my time, along with the talents and funding God has provided. What can I do to use the time God has given in a way that will bring glory to God?  How much of what I do is because I "have to" do it?

I want to acknowledge that I do what I do because I choose to do them, not because I have to do them.  When I live in this awareness and moment by moment dependence on God's guidance, I can use the time as a steward.

How about you?  When do you find yourself doing what you "have to" do?  Where did the idea of "have to" come from?  Can you come to the place of recognition that you chose to do what you do?  That you are responsible for your choices?

There is always something you are saying "no" to when you say "yes" to something else.  This is sometimes called the opportunity cost.  It is important for us to see what we are choosing not to do when we choose to do something else.  We are responsible for our choices even when we don't consider what we will not be able to do as a result of a particular choice.

The degree to which we are aware of our responsibility to make choices while entrusting ourselves to God in the process will be the degree to which God's plan will become clear to us.  Let's encourage each other to trust God as we make decisions regarding our time, our talents, our funding, our relationships, and our ministry together this year.