Take, for example, the fact that I was supposed to go to Central Cal. Ministerial Meetings on Tuesday the 16th. I had gotten the email. I had replied to the email. I had even received an IN PERSON invitation/reminder from the Executive Secretary to whom I assured my presence. It was on my calendar. But then the time change happened and my mind downshifted into “idiot mode” and switched the meetings from Tuesday to Thursday. Neato.
So I show up on Thursday…bright and early…all dolled up…ready for the meetings. “Where is everybody?” I wonder…like a tool. And just then I bump into the Executive Secretary who is also wondering something…mainly where I was on Tuesday. Surely, he inquires, there must be some amazing reason I wasn't at the meetings. In fact, I get to explain, there is not. What was I doing on Tuesday? Unpacking chairs that arrived for the lodge…super important.
Embarrassed, I saunter down the hall to my boss’ office. Now that I’m here I might as well get some work on Adventurer Family Fun Day, I figure. It still needs quite a bit of work but it’s not until the 28th so I’m not worried. I already have all my staff lined up and the schedule is mostly in place. But I can still design the program and awards I guess…after all, it would be a nice touch to have professionally printed materials…yeah, everybody would be super impressed with that.
My boss is not catching the vision. He doesn’t think there is enough time. I begin to explain…again…that if I order them today (Thursday) that they should arrive by next Tuesday.
“What good would that do?” he asks…again…and then adds, “The event is this Sunday.” No way. The 21st? I can hear Daylight Savings in the other room laughing its butt off…sending all its buddies “no-way-you-wont-believe-what-i-just-did” texts.
No staff. No program. No awards. No games. Square One gives me a blank stare, shrugs, and mutters, “That sucks bro…"
"Welcome back though!” chimes in The Drawing Board. I excuse myself to change underwear.
Just then my wife calls. She is leaving to go grocery shopping. She is making a special meal for our weekend off. Our weekend off?! Not anymore…awesome. It’s a good thing she hasn’t been looking forward to it for a while…oh wait…she has…crap.
I can hear the disappointment on the other end as I explain that she married a buffoon who schedules our weekends off the same weekends as youth events I am in charge of. She gracefully forgives me but I still can’t help but feel my throbbing foot from all the times I have dropped the ball on it today.
I have no way of expressing how I felt as I drove home that evening....until I found this picture.
As I looked at it I couldn’t help but laugh as I identified with the trailing runner more than I would have liked. I was a little upset with God…partially for “letting this happen” and partially letting Daylight Savings happen. But then, as fate would have it…or maybe God would have it (most likely the latter) I came across the words of Jesus in Matthew 7 describing the Road to Life as narrow and the entrance gate as small and easy to miss. I’ve always heard that…every time I hear it I think of the Pilgrims Progress cartoon where Pilgrim walks down the narrow road. But that road was nice and smooth…not like the pothole-filled road I was on this week.
And then I came across another passage, 2 Timothy 4:7: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
The light kicked on. Jesus didn’t promise that road would be smooth…Pilgrim had just gotten lucky. In fact, He said the gate would be easy to miss…especially if you’re focusing on how rough the road is. Likewise, Paul celebrates finishing the race...not how awesome racing is. Yes, how we run is important…but not as important as actually finishing.
That did it. Yeah I was way behind and knocking over all the hurdles…but by golly I was gonna finish this race if it killed me…
And I did. By God’s grace the event came and went, the Executive Secretary extended his forgiveness for skipping ministerial meetings (we even had an awesome conversation about cruises because I am missing the next set of ministerial meetings to go on a cruise with my wife and the Bowmans) and I just finished eating that special meal on this, our weekend off.
Are you way behind and knocking over hurdles? Keep running...finish the race…keep the faith.
“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” – 2 Timothy 4:6-8.
3 comments:
way to be donnie. you're an inspiring husband. and you're welcome for the meal :)
Those bruises ain't nothing a little balm of Gilead can't handle!
Ah, man, I really needed this one. It was right on time (well, I read it late, but it was on time). The picture also adds a really good touch that makes me laugh a lot.
Post a Comment