Welcome back. You belong here.

Sometimes I have to slow down and realize I can’t do everything on my to do list. Instead, I need to go with the things that bring me life, passion, meaning and joy. Of course, sometimes I have to do mundane stuff (bills, emails, etc) but when I feel overwhelmed with tasks, I try to choose the things that bring life.

These pictures represent such choices…

What brings life?

1. Father, Son, Holy Spirit. This never fails. Make God your priority, and your heart rate will literally go down. Other times, the conviction of the Spirit comes and you have to act, call someone, repent of sin, change a certain behavior.

2. People. My wife, her needs, her day, her schedule, putting myself in her shoes, what is she feeling, what has she been saying lately, what is she stressed over, excited about. These days it’s the car, Thanksgiving and going away with me next week. And our children, looking inside their world, engaging them in their own ways, not just carting them around from place to place.

3. Serve others. Giving of my time and energy, focusing on the needs of others makes life meaningful.

4. Creativity and Art. Music and beauty, my guitar, writing, thinking creatively.

5. Rest and Exercise. Gotta take care of your body, balancing the chemicals in your brain with a balance of protein drinks, balanced carbs, vegetables and staying away from sugars, fats, oils and then going outside, doing 25mns. on the treadmill, an hour of weights and 10mns of abs. Yes!

6. Stuff. Sometimes you have to do mundane stuff, taking the trash out, answer email, return phone calls, make decisions, give someone a phone number.

If you choose wisely, you will be filled with joy. Sometimes, I get overwhelmed trying to do too many great things. So this morning, I ran with our 6 year old at her Turkey Trot at school, she did awesome! Then I came home and took out the trash with little David (2) and washed the bins together (he loves it), then I spoke to my wife on the phone about her day (she works today).

The computer has sat there all morning (until now), no emails, no to do’s, I have to repair a wall in one of the rooms, vacuum the house, rake the leaves, last night I made dinner and washed the dishes and kitchen floor, and then there’s the never ending to do list sitting on top of my Bible of all places.

Later today, I have a guitar lesson, so I want to practice and feel like a musician today. Seminary, I’m 2 projects behind but doing well on the quizzes. The car is in the shop (again), so we’re borrowing a car and life gets hectic without a car, but God is faithful, I’m about to read Psalm 97 (the psalm of the week) and maybe later get a nap.

Have a great day.

Into the future,

davidT