A couple of thoughts sitting in my folding chair in the back yard.

     Looking at the blackberries coming over the fence next to the pool I know they need to be dealt with now or they will cause a lot of problems for me later. There are things in my life like these vines. If I let them hang around long enough I will pay a price. In life though, I seldom pay that price alone. My wife and kids will pay first. Others who are spiritually healthy miss out on quality community with me. Those who are not spiritually healthy miss out on my encouraging words, speaking and shining truth into their life. Those who don't know Christ miss out on the chance to have that deep longing filled. Everyone around me is robbed. I mostly only see the impact to myself.

     I'm sitting in my folding chair in the back yard seeking time with God that we are sorely lacking. I brought my Bible but I don't want to read. I just want to be close to God. I feel as if there is so much more that I am missing, like there's some super spiritual mystical something that I am not, well I'm not sure how to describe it. Like I should be so much more spiritual than I am. Changing the world every where I go. Then I heard someone coming towards me. When I finally opened my eyes it was the dog. She was sniffing at a pile of dirt near the pool. Smelling some part of the critter who dug up the dirt. I realized she was doing exactly what she was made for. We just took a two night trip all six of us to northern Cali. I did my best to work with my wife to give us and the kids something we would all enjoy. And we did. I did what I was created to do. I often feel as if there is this massive super spiritual something I should be and maybe that will happen one day, though I doubt it will feel like a super spiritual thing then, but for now I am likely exactly where I should be.