Percentages

I know it takes some strategic calculation to arrive at 25.79%.  Indeed.  It's on my mind today.  Not the number.  Not just the percentage.  But what it indicates - 25.79%.  

Today, I walked the halls of a hospital where a friend and his wife were welcoming their second child into the world.  We laughed, shared stories, listened to those annoying beeping sounds.  It took me back for a moment.  It was fresh again to me.  You know, life, brand new.  The birth of a child is simply amazing.  And proof of the one true living, creative God.  

As I write this tonight, though, it is sobering.  A flash.  A blur.  Blink-gone.  Although God only knows what our future holds, at best calculation, 25.79% of the time that Madison will most likely live at home with us is already in the books.  

So, now I have an opportunity.  A responsibility.  Invest as much as humanly possible over the next 74.21% of my time with her.  To love, teach, train, encourage, hug, kiss, comfort, correct, play.  Of all the things in this life, this is deserving of 100% of my best efforts.  

74.21% begins now.

It's a God thing...

Got to take a minute to write about some things that have gone on around here this week.  My dad went this week to have some super duper MRI done on his back.  The pain was so intense, we all thought he was headed for another back surgery.  Doctors had indicated on a previous MRI that he had a cyst on his spine.  But....when the doctors checked again this week, the cyst was gone.   Hmm...

Lauren, Lindsey's former roommate, decided to relocate.  You guessed it; they are roommates again.  They both graduated this past May with education degrees.  Lindsey got a job up here and started work in August.  There "happened" to be an emergency opening at Lindsey's school...same grade...class next door.  You're already ahead of me....Lauren started yesterday.

Hmm...

Explanation?  It's a God thing.  One of those times where we truly just sit back and say, "wow."  Thanks, God!

The Magic Eraser

Getting ready for a new message series entitled Grace Anatomy, thinking about how grace relates to life and stuff.  So, I ask you.  Is it automatic or intentional?  Is it both in some sort of weird way?  You can relate, right?  Think about it.  When you were a kid, there were times that your parents thought about punishing you for something you had done, decided not to, and you had no idea they were thinking about any of it.  Why?  Grace.  Grace happened and you were clueless.  Then, there were other times you knew you were in for it.  Except "it" never happened.  Grace.

It's doing 65 in a 55, passing a cop, and...nothing happens.  Breaking the law?  Yep.  Cop see you?  You know it.  Pulled you over...not today.  Grace.  Crazy.  

It's losing a receipt that needs to get to your boss.  Finally owning up that you just don't have it.  Response...."no problem."  You know it's a problem.  Grace.

What do you think?  Intentional or Automatic?  Both?  Neither?

Of Cow Troughs and Sweat Pants

The other night during a small group meeting, we were telling funny stories that happened recently.  Got me to thinking about one certain Sunday night at church.  

Several years ago, I was assisting in a church baptismal service.  Our baptismal pool was a portable type (looked exactly like a cow trough) and that night was placed on the platform of the sanctuary, clearly visible for all to see.  One woman decided that she needed to be re-baptized since the first time she was baptized, one of her hands did not go under the water (no kidding)...she claims she had nothing but trouble ever since (true story).  So, we accommodated her wishes.  When it was her turn to be baptized that night, I just knew something was about to happen.  She walked to the baptismal pool in her pink sweat suit, got into the pool, was baptized, and then....you guessed it!  Funny how water makes sweat suit material quite heavy.  Getting up from out of the water, the woman's sweat pants fell victim to water... and gravity.  We just couldn't get the towel wrapped around her fast enough...So, the moral of this true tale (pun intended) is when you are choosing what not to wear for your baptismal appointment, let sweat pants be at the very top of your list.