What keeps me going today: Today is not yesterday…it is a new day
What moves my feet today: “The sultry sounds of my voice…”
I could do without: Country music
I was thinking this weekend about a few things. I guess I was in Ponderville. I was talking to Lovely last night over some hummus and pita. I started talking about how we have moved to a very instant gratification type world as to how we are rewarded and how we expect the fruit of our labor. In the old days, a person’s livelihood was in their dirt…their crops. They tilled the ground, planted seed, and in a few short months…fruit/veggies/plants. There was nothing instant. Everything just took time so life went at a slower pace. Fast forward to today. Today is pushed by bigger, better, and faster. Bigger vehicles, bigger paychecks, bigger plates, bigger houses, etc. Better paying jobs, better clothes, better gadgets. Faster reaction times, faster production, faster results. Maybe that is one reason why the world, particularly the U.S., has slowly become even more corrupt. Instead of scaling back on our debt, we accumulate more to keep up with the people around us. Instead of increasing quality we push for quantity. We allow demand to determine supply. Instead of eating quality food, we depend of Mickey D’s and Burger Royalty for our nutrition. Surely there is a way to get back to real in a world of…if you don’t like yourself, just pay some doctor an ungodly amount of money and you can look like a Swan instead of the ugly duckling.
I was thinking about this due to all that is going on around us. I was thinking about all the people around us. Friends, family, people we are associated with in life. I think it is safe to say that we all slip into this every once in a while. With most of the musicians I know, it is the push to get tunes learned in a set amount of time but fail to practice at home. My dad’s boss wanting a restaurant that normally take 120+ days to build, to be built in 60 days but doesn’t want to spend the extra resources to get that done. It is like my wanting a better job but working so much that I can’t go on an interview or take classes to get a better job. I want it NOW!!!! But I want it without costing me anything else…whether it is money or time or effort.
None of this lines up with scripture. Paul encourages us to run the race in a way that is to earn, to receive the prize…not aimlessly. Also to press toward the goal. We are to depend on God and He doesn’t move when we want Him to move. God moves as is plan dictates.
So, what now? Pause for a minute. Quiet your mind and listen. Does God really want this for you? Don’t listen to your heart…the Word says that “the heart is deceptive above all things.” No. Instead, listen for God. Make the most of the strength God has given you. Don’t focus on the money or the fame or whatever else the world tries to make your focus. All that mess breaks and fails anyway. That iPod you bought 6 months ago will eventually stop working. That new car will depreciate and you’ll eventually sell it for WAY LESS than you paid.
The longer road shows your true pace. That house…sure it an investment, but you have to maintain it. That takes money. That takes time to repair and upgrade. It takes time to fine tune and manicure the lawn.
Maybe this isn’t at all making sense to you all. That doesn’t matter. I guess I putting this out there more for me than anyone else.
Focus on your goal…
Remember who your strength is…
Stay the course…
Keep running…
Don’t lose faith…
If you are running the race in Christ, you will win. YOU WILL WIN!!!!!
Prodigal Thinker 