For as down and out as I felt coming back from Northern Ireland I am feeling pretty class these days.
I’ll spend my early afternoon today mowing and trimming the backyard. Rich let me borrow his push mower since he never uses it. [He has a service, man I wish I could pop the $25/week for a service too!] Also, I broke down and bought a trimmer at Home Depot yesterday afternoon.
Last night I met up with fellow Moody grad Keith over at Romeo’s Times Square. We met up via mySpace and I thought it would be fun to make that connection. He works up at Almont’s First Congregational Church. After dinner he and I went to the Almont vs. Capac HS football game. I have a student who plays for Capac’s team that I have been trying to see play a few times, otherwise I had no interest in that game. Almont cruised past a helpless Capac team. It is amazing sometimes how stupid football coaches can be. Capac gave up at least 35 points off of fundamental mistakes and bad calls. Mix that with their 25+ penalties and there was simply no way Capac could win. Oh well.
Theological musing of my day. As I talked with Keith last night it seemed really clear that youth ministry in America is facing an epidemic of lazy people. The students are merely doing what their parents do… not much. But at the same time we both ssee students longing for “something more” and an intimacy with Jesus.
This problem has a simple solution. John 15 makes it so clear that in order to be a growing believer, you must be connected to Jesus, the vine. How does one do that? Look at John 15:5-8 and you’ll see how clear it is:
5″I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. 6Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. 7But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. 8This is how my Father shows who he is–when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.
Why is it that something so clear is so hard for people to get? If you spend time with Jesus and get connected with him you will grow. If you don’t, you will not grow. How do you get connected? Spend time with Jesus’ words. Meditate on them, read them, reflect on them, pray through them… and you will grow. Stop doing that and Jesus says, “You can’t produce a thing.”
This is exactly why I am spending so much time and energy teaching my students Doug Field’s H.A.B.I.T.S. This may be totally simplistic and so unorganic that it annoys people like Nick… but it is a system that first and foremost works! It has worked for centuries and, since the principles come from Jesus’ words… will always be true. Embrace the formula and grow, run from it and you won’t grow.
Why is it that the simple stuff in life is so hard in reality? Just like in finances… stick to the fundamentals and you will be fine in all things. Deviate and you risk loss.
Speaking of loss. My quarter ended on the stock market yesterday. Intel’s net gain for my retirement? -$51 So much for a lock!
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