MORE THAN ENOUGH

My spirit feels alive today. Cooler weather, Matt Costa and driving with the top down on the go-cart do this for me… along with the addition of some great discussion last night at smallgroup.

“Hope Clusters” is the theme of the season for us. Something amazing that I’m discovering through this study is that all three topics (somehow) seem to mesh together all into one at the end. That’s pure God greatness. Last night I left thinking how cool it was that through three people sharing three different stories related to scripture, entertainment, and current events, He could weave it all together to show us what He wanted us to see.

Last night could be summed up by living life intentionally. We read from 1 Corinthians 9. Verses 25 through 27. The Message puts it this way –

25 You've all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You're after one that's gold eternally.
26-27 I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.

I enjoy how that phrase “sloppy living”. Sloppy… when I think on this word my mind of course wonders… and you know how that goes. Since it’s nearing lunch hour, my mind is going asap to food. Let’s talk Sloppy Joes. I know, I know, really?! But yes, really. .. Sloppy Joes… here we go.

Knowing that this is going to be quite the stretch… try to relate this to living intentionally. Sloppy Joes are exactly what they’re named after…. Sloppiness! They are messy, the bun breaks and sauced-up meat falls out everywhere and gets onto everything!... (Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love...) similar to what our lives can resemble when we live without purpose or intention. Without an end goal… a finish line, we let our sloppiness spill out making a mess of life… sometimes even making it a pretty dirty place to remain in. So if we live with purpose then we won’t even have to spend time getting rid of those Sloppy Joe stains either! So much joy is gained out of a life when lived intentionally.

Just yesterday it was that I was irked because I had forgotten my iPod when I went to work out. Oh my! What was I to do! I searched all throughout the go-cart (which took all of maybe one minute). Not there. So I rolled out (roll out, roll out... it was a blading kind of day) and soon discovered why the heck had I even wanted the closterphobic songs in the first place?…. God had provided the most beautiful day ever. I mean, I knew it was a beautiful day all along but my mind and heart were shut off… the blinds to my eyes were drawn to the Maker of it all. Thank the Lord though (literally) for an iPod-less day. It was far more than I expected… the water glistened, the wind whistled, birds sang, fish swam, turtles sunbathed, ducks chattered away, and so many strangers even seemed friendly, greeting eachother with “Hi’s,” “Hello’s” and “How are you doing’s”. It made me smile (Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above)

SIGNED: My life is not meant to chance – The Lord is good.